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Evanston Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Illinois · SSA Region 05

Approval Rate

57.3%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

8 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

255 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

2,257

awaiting hearing

ALJs

7

active judges

Evanston ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics

Individual judge statistics for 12 months ending July 2026. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.

Judge Approval Rate Denial Rate Fully Favorable Total Decisions Dispositions
James Macdonald 71.3% 28.7% 61.5% 436 520
John Martin 64.6% 35.4% 56.3% 48 62
Stephen Pope 62.6% 37.4% 53.5% 297 337
Lovert F. Bassett 60.1% 39.9% 56% 434 524
Kevin Vodak 58.6% 41.4% 49.3% 428 513
Lana Johnson 53.3% 46.7% 40.5% 435 521
Jessica Inouye 40.9% 59.1% 28.2% 291 338

Former Judges at Evanston

These judges have no recorded decisions at Evanston in the 12 months ending July 2026. Figures below cover each judge's own last twelve reported months, ending in the month shown.

Judge Last Decisions Reported Approval Rate Total Decisions
Lee Lewin December 2024 51% 367
George Gaffaney August 2024 52.8% 286

Approval rates here cover each judge's own trailing window ending in the month shown, so they are not directly comparable with the current roster above or with national figures.

About the Evanston Social Security Hearing Office

Claimants in the Evanston service area have their Social Security disability appeals heard at this office, one of the hearing locations in Illinois. The office is assigned to SSA Region 05 and has 7 active ALJs.

The office's average approval rate is 57.3%, which is near the national average of 57.6%. The rate aligns with national patterns, though individual judges at this office may vary above or below this average. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 40.9% to 71.3%, a 30-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 255 days. There are currently 2,257 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 322 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 49.3%. A fully favorable decision means the claimant receives benefits from the onset date they requested, as opposed to a partially favorable decision which may award benefits from a later date.

How to Interpret Evanston Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Evanston, thorough case preparation is especially important. Since judge assignments are rotational, the specific ALJ assigned to a case is not known in advance — ensuring medical evidence and vocational documentation are comprehensive can help regardless of which judge presides.

With an average wait time of 8 months and 255 days average processing time, claimants at Evanston can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Evanston have collectively issued 2,369 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 338 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 48 to 436 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Evanston Hearing Office FAQ

What is the approval rate at Evanston?
The average ALJ approval rate at Evanston is 57.3% for the 12 months ending July 2026. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 40.9% to 71.3%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 49.3%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Evanston?
The Evanston office has 7 administrative law judges. Of these, 6 have issued 50 or more decisions in the 12 months ending July 2026. Decision counts range from 48 to 436 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long is the wait time at Evanston?
The current average wait time at Evanston is 8 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 255 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. Note that wait times are point-in-time estimates from SSA reporting and may vary from month to month based on case volume and staffing changes.
How is office data calculated?
This office has faster-than-average wait times at 8 months. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. These figures rely on SSA's publicly released disposition records, which are processed and incorporated into our database as each reporting cycle concludes.
What is the fully favorable rate at Evanston?
A fully favorable outcome awards benefits from the date the claimant first alleged disability. A partially favorable outcome also results in an award but may recognize a later onset date, reducing retroactive benefits. In the approval rate shown here, both types of favorable decisions are included. At Evanston, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 49.3%.
How does Evanston compare to other offices in the state?
Of the 6 hearing offices in Illinois, Evanston ranks 2 of 6 with an approval rate of 57.3%. In terms of wait time, Evanston ranks 3 of 6 (8 months). Visit the Illinois overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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