State Profile
South Carolina
DDS approval rate
40.3%
+0.5 pts vs national
DDS approval rate
40.3%
National: 39.8%
3-year change
+4.4 pts
Annual receipts
33,137
FY2024
Hearing offices
4
54 ALJs
Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-02
Initial receipts
2,923
Initial determinations
2,682
Initial allowance rate
40.3%
Initial pending
16,624
Recon determinations
1,665
Recon allowance rate
16.0%
Hearing offices in South Carolina
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREENVILLE | 10 | 230 | 1,822 | 67.4% | 13 |
| CHARLESTON SC | 16 | 235 | 1,241 | 58.1% | 10 |
| FLORENCE | 24 | 237 | 1,528 | 52.0% | 8 |
| COLUMBIA SC | 58 | 261 | 2,258 | 59.9% | 27 |
ALJs in South Carolina (54)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cartledge, James C | MIAMI OHO | 92.7% | 330 | 306 | |
| Green, Gloria W | FAYETTEVILLE NC | 92.4% | 79 | 73 | |
| Thawley, John A | FAYETTEVILLE NC | 90.9% | 263 | 239 | |
| LaFata, Richard | CHARLESTON SC | 82.8% | 145 | 120 | |
| Messina, Christopher | ST PETERSBURG FL OHO | 82.4% | 34 | 28 | |
| Grounds, Sonya | COVINGTON GA | 79.1% | 86 | 68 | |
| Bumgarner, Ashley L | FAYETTEVILLE NC | 78.9% | 332 | 262 | |
| Cumbie, James | GREENVILLE | 77.2% | 337 | 260 | |
| Jones, Stephanie M | KNOXVILLE | 76.1% | 138 | 105 | |
| Diggs, William | CHARLESTON SC | 74.2% | 454 | 337 | |
| Fleming, Ronald | COLUMBIA SC | 74.0% | 146 | 108 | |
| Craven, Amanda | GREENVILLE | 72.3% | 350 | 253 | |
| Paschall, Ann G. | GREENVILLE | 71.4% | 7 | 5 | |
| Walter, Nicholas | SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE | 71.2% | 222 | 158 | |
| Hall, Brandie | LOUISVILLE | 70.8% | 178 | 126 | |
| Gray, Stacy | MIDDLESBORO | 70.3% | 175 | 123 | |
| Dixon III, Andrew | TALLAHASSEE FL OHO | 68.2% | 214 | 146 | |
| Lewis, Jason A | FLORENCE | 67.9% | 352 | 239 | |
| Martin, James M | GREENVILLE | 64.6% | 322 | 208 | |
| Hess, Thaddeus J | GREENVILLE | 64.1% | 446 | 286 | |
| Lott, Roger | TUPELO | 64.1% | 351 | 225 | |
| Herin, Jr., Walter C | COLUMBIA SC | 64.1% | 220 | 141 | |
| Selland, R. Dirk | CHARLOTTE | 63.4% | 123 | 78 | |
| Dail, Grant | SHREVEPORT | 62.4% | 210 | 131 | |
| Shoenholz, Jonathan T | COLUMBIA SC | 60.7% | 300 | 182 | |
| Jones, Brian | HATTIESBURG | 60.2% | 128 | 77 | |
| Petri, J. | GREENVILLE | 59.1% | 308 | 182 | |
| Renfroe, Mary M | KINGSPORT | 58.9% | 175 | 103 | |
| Jordan, Alice | GREENVILLE | 57.9% | 57 | 33 | |
| Fritz, Colin | GREENVILLE | 56.5% | 248 | 140 | |
| Vallecillo, Gonzalo | TAMPA OHO | 56.1% | 114 | 64 | |
| Daniels, Christopher R | COLUMBIA SC | 56.0% | 298 | 167 | |
| Forbes-Schmitt, Nicole S | CHARLESTON SC | 55.2% | 346 | 191 | |
| Chase, Ethan A | CHARLESTON SC | 52.9% | 121 | 64 | |
| Droker, Robert | JACKSONVILLE | 52.0% | 177 | 92 | |
| Vineyard, Joshua | COLUMBIA SC | 51.1% | 323 | 165 | |
| Capece, Anthony | COLUMBIA SC | 50.8% | 325 | 165 | |
| Williams, Lori J | FLORENCE | 50.3% | 286 | 144 | |
| Peace, Jerry W | GREENVILLE | 50.0% | 160 | 80 | |
| Vinson, Flora L | COLUMBIA SC | 50.0% | 20 | 10 | |
| Elkin, Paul | COLUMBIA SC | 49.0% | 308 | 151 | |
| Watson, Carl B | CHARLESTON SC | 48.2% | 303 | 146 | |
| Spangler, Todd | MIDDLESBORO | 46.9% | 175 | 82 | |
| Crocker, Boyce | LEXINGTON | 46.5% | 460 | 214 | |
| Pustizzi, Jennifer | FT LAUDERDALE | 45.6% | 160 | 73 | |
| Healy, Philip J | CHARLESTON SC | 45.3% | 170 | 77 | |
| Richey, Mallette | FLORENCE | 44.4% | 311 | 138 | |
| Finnie, Michael E | FRANKLIN TN | 43.3% | 231 | 100 | |
| Grimes, James | FLORENCE | 39.0% | 333 | 130 | |
| Bowling, Robert B | LEXINGTON | 38.3% | 154 | 59 |
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