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Updated July 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 · 2026-07

Initial receipts

6,736

Initial determinations

5,828

Initial allowance rate

33.1%

Initial pending

16,035

Recon determinations

1,286

Recon allowance rate

16.6%

Hearing offices in New Jersey

OfficeRankProcessing daysPendingApprovalJudges
JERSEY CITY1452983,20665.3%10
NEWARK1463014,02655.2%10
SOUTH JERSEY1523212,98569.3%8

ALJs in New Jersey (28)

Sorted by approval rate.

JudgeOfficeApprovalDecisionsAwardsTrend
Patterson, KarenSOUTH JERSEY80.1%432346
Barr, SheenaJERSEY CITY79.9%284227
Varillo, KimberlySOUTH JERSEY78.1%388303
Merrill, TheresaNEWARK78.0%245191
Cornell, KathleenSOUTH JERSEY76.8%358275
Addison, AndreaJERSEY CITY71.0%328233
Timm, FrederickSOUTH JERSEY69.4%363252
Lardaro, Elizabeth A.SOUTH JERSEY65.7%213140
Moore, TrinaJERSEY CITY65.5%368241
Gonzalez, RobertJERSEY CITY64.5%389251
Hibner Olson, LisaSOUTH JERSEY64.4%315203
Pantuso, Gina AJERSEY CITY64.2%246158
Kenneally, KevinJERSEY CITY63.5%425270
Russak, JackJERSEY CITY63.4%303192
Shillin, BethNEWARK63.3%180114
Cerulli, NicholasSOUTH JERSEY62.8%15698
Suna, DavidJERSEY CITY62.2%246153
West, RichardNEWARK62.1%269167
Campbell, JohnNEWARK60.0%9054
Shelton, KarenNEWARK59.9%282169
Costa, LeonardNEWARK59.4%293174
Allard, SharonNEWARK57.8%277160
Damille, RicardyNEWARK55.5%346192
Loewy, Dina RJERSEY CITY49.4%17486
Green, TonyaSOUTH JERSEY46.7%334156
Ayers, KennethNEWARK42.6%305130
Toland, MargueriteJERSEY CITY40.0%2510
Lee, PeterNEWARK24.2%28970

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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