Evanston Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Illinois · SSA Region 05
Approval Rate
55.9%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
250 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,435
awaiting hearing
ALJs
7
active judges
Evanston ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics
Individual judge statistics for FY 2025. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.
| Judge | Approval Rate | Denial Rate | Fully Favorable | Total Decisions | Dispositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James E Macdonald | 69.5% | 30.5% | 60.1% | 419 | 483 |
| Kevin Vodak | 59.2% | 40.8% | 48.3% | 358 | 430 |
| Stephen Pope | 57.6% | 42.4% | 52.4% | 210 | 248 |
| Lovert F Bassett | 56.1% | 43.9% | 51.2% | 287 | 351 |
| Lana Johnson | 51.9% | 48.1% | 37% | 349 | 414 |
| Lee Lewin | 51.1% | 48.9% | 35.6% | 90 | 103 |
| Jessica Inouye | 43.7% | 56.3% | 28.4% | 412 | 461 |
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 55.9%, which is near the national average of 58.3%. The rate aligns with national patterns, though individual judges at this office may vary above or below this average. Judge approval rates at this office range from 43.7% to 69.5%, showing a moderate degree of variation across the bench.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 250 days. There are currently 1,435 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 205 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 44.7%. 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
Evanston shows a moderate degree of variation across its bench, which is common among offices of this size. While all judges apply the same federal disability standards, differences in how they weigh medical evidence, vocational factors, and hearing testimony may contribute to varying outcomes.
With an average wait time of 7 months and 250 days average processing time, claimants at Evanston can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Evanston have collectively issued 2,125 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 304 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 90 to 419 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Evanston Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Evanston?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 43.7% to 69.5%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 44.7%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at Evanston?
How long is the wait time at Evanston?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 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.