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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public

State Profile

New Jersey

NJ · Region NYC

DDS approval rate

38.4%

-1.4 pts vs national

DDS approval rate

38.4%

National: 39.8%

3-year change

-1.2 pts

Annual receipts

47,709

FY2024

Hearing offices

3

28 ALJs

Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-06

Initial receipts

5,487

Initial determinations

4,664

Initial allowance rate

32.6%

Initial pending

15,336

Recon determinations

956

Recon allowance rate

14.3%

Hearing offices in New Jersey

OfficeRankProcessing daysPendingApprovalJudges
JERSEY CITY1452983,20665.2%10
NEWARK1463014,02656.0%10
SOUTH JERSEY1523212,98569.9%8

ALJs in New Jersey (28)

Sorted by approval rate.

JudgeOfficeApprovalDecisionsAwardsTrend
Patterson, KarenSOUTH JERSEY81.5%367299
Barr, SheenaJERSEY CITY80.1%246197
Varillo, KimberlySOUTH JERSEY79.0%333263
Merrill, TheresaNEWARK78.6%215169
Cornell, KathleenSOUTH JERSEY76.9%307236
Addison, AndreaJERSEY CITY71.0%286203
Timm, FrederickSOUTH JERSEY68.8%308212
Hibner Olson, LisaSOUTH JERSEY66.9%272182
Moore, TrinaJERSEY CITY65.9%317209
Lardaro, Elizabeth A.SOUTH JERSEY65.7%213140
Pantuso, Gina AJERSEY CITY65.1%209136
Gonzalez, RobertJERSEY CITY64.5%363234
Russak, JackJERSEY CITY64.4%270174
West, RichardNEWARK64.3%230148
Shillin, BethNEWARK63.3%15095
Kenneally, KevinJERSEY CITY63.2%370234
Cerulli, NicholasSOUTH JERSEY62.4%13383
Costa, LeonardNEWARK61.2%263161
Suna, DavidJERSEY CITY60.6%213129
Campbell, JohnNEWARK60.0%9054
Allard, SharonNEWARK58.6%227133
Shelton, KarenNEWARK58.5%241141
Damille, RicardyNEWARK55.4%314174
Loewy, Dina RJERSEY CITY49.4%17486
Green, TonyaSOUTH JERSEY49.0%302148
Ayers, KennethNEWARK44.8%268120
Toland, MargueriteJERSEY CITY40.0%2510
Lee, PeterNEWARK24.3%23958

Next step

Estimate approval odds

See SSA historical approval base rates for a New Jersey claim by condition, age, and stage.

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