Effective Dates: 07/21/2026 - Present Previous | Next

Last Update: 2026-07-21 https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/hallex/TS/HA-012-TN-275.html">TN 012-275)

HA 01210.055 Assignment of Service Area Cases to Administrative Law Judges

When the hearing office (HO) receives a valid request for hearing (RH) or an Appeals Council (AC) remand and completes the procedures set forth in the Hearings, Appeals, and Litigation Law (HALLEX) manual chapter HA 01205.000, the Hearing Office Chief Administrative Law Judge (HOCALJ) will assign the case to an administrative law judge (ALJ).

A. Case Assignment

The HOCALJ generally assigns cases to ALJs on a rotational basis, with the earliest (i.e., oldest) RHs receiving priority, unless there is a special situation that requires a change in the order in which a case is assigned. See subsection D below.

B. HO and Remote Hearing Sites

The Head of the Hearings Hub (HHH) determines whether the areas within a HO's service area are assigned to the HO or to the remote hearing site(s). In making such determinations, the HHH considers recommendations from the HOCALJ. Such areas may require modification periodically based on case receipts and other service and cost factors.

C. Case Assignments Requiring Travel Within the Hearing Office Service Area

1. Rotate Assignments

Generally, the HOCALJ will rotate the assignments requiring travel among all ALJs in the HO consistent with the objective of scheduling older cases first.

2. Travel Dockets

ALJs will generally accumulate a docket of cases to be heard at the remote site to minimize administrative travel and related costs. However, if audio, agency video, or online video is available, subject to objections to audio or agency video under HALLEX HA 01205.021 and agreements to online video under HALLEX HA 01205.022, HO management, through designated staff, is encouraged to schedule hearings by audio, agency video, or online video instead of in person at the remote site because those manners of appearance do not require the ALJ to accumulate a docket of cases required for travel dockets.

3. Advance Administrative Approval for Travel

An ALJ must obtain advance administrative approval of proposed travel. The procedure for securing approval is based on the specific methods prescribed by the jurisdictional Hearings Hub.

4. Objections to Travel Dockets

An ALJ will raise any objections to a travel docket with their HOCALJ.

D. Special Situations That Require a Change in the Order in Which Cases Are Assigned

1. Critical Case Designation

Expedited processing is required when a case is critical. For a list of critical case situations, see HALLEX HA 01210.040. Flag and assign the case immediately.

2. AC Remands

AC remands, including those generated by the courts, are generally assigned to the same ALJ who issued the decision or dismissal, except in the following situations:

  • •

    The AC directs that the case be assigned to a different ALJ.

  • •

    The AC previously remanded the case and the same ALJ issued both prior actions (decision(s) and/or dismissal(s)) in the case. In this situation, the AC will direct that the case be assigned to a different ALJ. If the AC did not direct that the case be assigned to a different ALJ, the HOCALJ will assign it to a different ALJ.

  • •

    The ALJ is no longer with the Agency.

  • •

    AC remands for decisions or dismissals issued by ALJs from other offices providing assistance to the servicing hearing office are sent to the HO servicing the claimant's current address. If an ALJ from another office is still providing assistance to the HO and the ALJ is currently on duty in the same office, the case may be assigned to the ALJ unless the claimant has filed a timely objection to appearing at the hearing by both audio and agency video and has not agreed to appear by online video. See HALLEX HA 01205.021 and HA 01205.022.

In addition, the following special situations apply to remanded cases:

a. Time-limited Court Remand Case

In a time-limited court remand case, a court has ordered the Commissioner to complete one or more specific actions within a set time-period. Flag and assign the case immediately.

A time-limited court remand case reaches the ALJ via the AC.

b. Section 8001 Cases

In 8001 cases, the AC has assumed jurisdiction on its own motion, or the AC has reopened an ALJ's favorable disability decision, prior to payment effectuation, and remanded the case for further proceedings. If certain time frames are not (or have not been) met, the Social Security Administration must pay interim benefits to the claimant until the proceedings on remand have been completed. Flag and assign the case immediately. For more information on interim disability benefits in cases of delayed final decisions, see HALLEX HA 01360.040.

c. Delayed Court Remand Case

A delayed court remand case is over 125 days old (counting from the date of the court's order) or a court remand that the AC remanded to an ALJ a second time. Flag and assign the case immediately.

d. Other Court Remand Case

Flag and assign the case immediately.

e. Non-Court AC Remand

Flag and assign the case immediately.

3. Title XVI Nondisability Case

Assign the case immediately as the hearing decision must be issued within 90 days from the date of the RH.

4. Disability Cessation and Age 18 Redetermination Case

Assign the case immediately to avoid or minimize overpayments.

5. Case That Appears to Meet the Criteria for Dismissal

Assign the case immediately as the ALJ may be able to issue a dismissal order quickly. See HALLEX HA 01240.000.

6. Case in Which the Claimant Has Waived the Right to an Oral Hearing

Assign the case immediately as the ALJ may be able to issue a decision quickly.

NOTE: 

The ALJ may determine, based on their examination of the record, that a hearing should be held despite the waiver. See HALLEX HA 01210.082 for additional guidance.

7. Case in Which the Claimant Has Waived the Right to Regular Advance Notice of Hearing

A claimant's waiver of the right to regular advance notice indicates that the claimant does not need advance notice to prepare for the hearing and desires a hearing as soon as possible. Therefore, if the HO staff can accommodate the claimant because of a cancellation by another claimant or for any other reason, HO staff should assign the case to an ALJ and schedule a hearing as soon as possible, without the usual advance notice.

E. Exceptions to Case Rotation

1. Assignment of New Claim When Claimant Voluntarily Withdraws RH

If a claimant voluntarily asks to withdraw their RH after an ALJ has been assigned to the case, and the ALJ grants the claimant's request (see HALLEX HA 01240.020), except in the circumstances noted in subsection F, the same ALJ will generally be assigned if the claimant later submits an RH on a new application.

NOTE: 

If the previous ALJ has transferred to another office or is otherwise unavailable (see HALLEX HA 01280.040), the case may be assigned to a different ALJ. However, a change in the claimant's address will not necessarily necessitate a change in the assigned ALJ. See HALLEX HA 01205.070 and HA 01230.010.

Check the case processing system entry for the case to confirm that the prior dismissal was based on the claimant's voluntary withdrawal of their RH. The status field should display the “WDDI” withdrawal dismissal code. Check the decision maker field for the name of the ALJ who issued that dismissal.

2. Assignment of Case When Claimant Withdraws Application

If an ALJ has been assigned to a case and the claimant withdraws their application, the same ALJ will be assigned if the claimant submits an RH on a new application.

F. Reassignment of a Case

A HOCALJ or other management ALJ may reassign a case to a different ALJ when it is necessary to ensure that the claimant will have their case heard or decided in a timely and policy-compliant manner, to avoid a detriment to the public.

1. Reassignment of a Case Before the ALJ Hearing

When a hearing has not yet been held, discretion to reassign the case is with the HOCALJ or other management ALJ.

2. Reassignment of a Case After a Hearing Has Been Held

When an ALJ has held a hearing but has not approved a draft decision, the HOCALJ or other management ALJ may reassign the case with concurrence of the HHH, Associate Chief ALJ, or Chief ALJ.

NOTE 1: 

In the Special Review Cadre, the management Administrative Law Judge may reassign the case with the concurrence of the Executive Director of Disability Compliance.

The HOCALJ or other management ALJ will consider reassigning a case when the decision is delayed and the delay constitutes a detriment to the public, or is reasonably expected to become delayed due to a prolonged absence of the ALJ who conducted the hearing. Examples of when a delay constitutes a detriment to the public include, but are not limited to, when:

  • •

    The ALJ who has conducted the hearing has a prolonged absence or is expected to have a prolonged absence, because of death, retirement, resignation, illness, or other cause, resulting in an absence of 20 or more consecutive calendar days. A prolonged absence also includes a situation when the ALJ may log on intermittently for short periods, but is not on duty for a full workday; or

  • •

    The case has been in post-hearing ALJ controlled status for more than six times the benchmark for that status.

NOTE 2: 

The HOCALJ or other management ALJ may also determine that a reassignment and case transfer are appropriate if the claimant changes residence while the request for hearing is pending. See HALLEX HA 01230.011.

When the HOCALJ or other management ALJ reassigns a case to a different ALJ after a hearing has been held, the ALJ to whom the case is reassigned will review all the evidence of record, including the audio recording of the hearing (see HALLEX HA 01260.040 for more information about hearing recordings).

If the reassigned ALJ intends to issue a fully favorable decision after reviewing the record and audio recording, the ALJ need not conduct another hearing. However, if the ALJ is unable to issue a fully favorable decision based on the information before them, or the ALJ requires more information to make a decision, the ALJ will assess whether another hearing is necessary. The ALJ may find another hearing is necessary if, for example, relevant expert evidence is needed but was not obtained at the hearing, or the ALJ needs additional testimony to fully evaluate a claimant's allegations of pain and other symptoms.

If the ALJ holds a new hearing, the ALJ will consider all pertinent documentary evidence admitted into the record at the prior hearing, the oral testimony at the prior hearing, and the evidence and testimony adduced at the new hearing when making a decision.

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HA 01210.055 - Assignment of Service Area Cases to Administrative Law Judges (I-2-1-55) - 07/21/2026
Batch run: 07/21/2026
Rev:07/21/2026