If you do not wish to appear at a hearing and you want to request that the judge make a decision based solely on the evidence in your case, you or your representative, if you have one, must waive your right to personal appearance in writing. The easiest way to waive your right to personal appearance before a judge is by submitting the Waiver of Your Right to Personal Appearance Before a Judge (HA-4608) form.

Under our rules, you have the right to appear at a hearing. At a hearing you may present evidence, have witnesses testify on your behalf, and present your case to the judge. Appearing in person at a hearing may help the judge make a decision in your case. You may, however, ask the judge to decide your case on the evidence in the written record; that is, waive your right to an oral hearing.

Even if you tell us you do not want to appear at a hearing, the judge may schedule a hearing if he or she believes that a personal appearance and testimony by you or someone else may be helpful in deciding your case.

If anyone else is a party to the hearing (someone else whose rights may be unfavorably affected by the judge's decision, such as the wage-earner or beneficiary), that person must agree to having the case decided on the written record and must provide us with a written statement to that effect.

If you have questions about waiving your right to appear at a hearing or how to complete this form, call the hearing office handling your claim. If you are not certain where your local Social Security office is located, try our Social Security Office Locator Service.

Here are ways to submit the waiver:

OR

Complete and send us your waiver through the mail

If you would like to send your waiver by mail, you can print the form and mail it to us. The printable form is available at:

Waiver Of Your Right To Personal Appearance Before A Judge

How to complete the form

Claimant: Enter your name or the name of the person on whose behalf the request for hearing was filed.

Wage Earner: If you receive or are applying for Social Security benefits on someone else's work record, enter that person's name.

Social Security Claim Number: The Social Security number (SSN) you enter depends on the type of claim you are appealing. If the appeal is on a claim for:

• Social Security benefits on your work record, enter your SSN.
• Social Security benefits on someone else's work record (that is, the wage earner in 2.), enter that person's SSN.
• Social Security benefits on your work record and on the wage earner's work record, enter both SSNs.
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI), enter your SSN.
• Social Security benefits on the wage earner's work record and SSI, enter both SSNs.

Tell us why you do not want to appear at the hearing: In the space provided, tell us why you do not want to appear at a hearing.

Signature: Sign and date the form. If you are waiving the right to appear at a hearing on behalf of a minor child or an incompetent adult, sign your name and your relationship to the claimant (for example, parent for a minor child or legal guardian for an incompetent adult).