Nhc Chicago Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Illinois · SSA Region 12
Approval Rate
51.4%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
11 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
312 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
1,515
awaiting hearing
ALJs
10
active judges
Nhc Chicago 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Thrasher | 87.4% | 12.6% | 84.7% | 111 | 136 |
| John Martin | 62.9% | 37.1% | 53.9% | 321 | 366 |
| Helen Valkavich | 60.8% | 39.2% | 47.8% | 347 | 416 |
| Roxanne Fuller | 60.5% | 39.5% | 57.9% | 114 | 130 |
| Brian Lucas | 58.8% | 41.2% | 54.3% | 420 | 526 |
| Mary Ann Poulose | 56.2% | 43.8% | 50% | 276 | 331 |
| Kathryn Bridges | 50% | 50% | 37.2% | 290 | 351 |
| Anne Sharrard | 46.2% | 53.8% | 39.1% | 197 | 250 |
| Henry Kramzyk | 25.7% | 74.3% | 19.3% | 109 | 117 |
| Thomas Sanzi | 14.8% | 85.2% | 11.2% | 196 | 243 |
Former Judges at Nhc Chicago
This judge has no recorded decisions at Nhc Chicago 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denise M Martin | December 2024 | 55.1% | 127 |
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 Nhc Chicago Social Security Hearing Office
The Nhc Chicago hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Illinois. This office is in SSA Region 12 and currently has 10 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals. With 10 ALJs, this is one of the larger hearing offices in the system, handling a substantial volume of disability cases each fiscal year.
The office's average approval rate is 51.4%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. Approval rates are influenced by many factors including case mix, quality of representation, and individual judge decision-making patterns. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 14.8% to 87.4%, a 73-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 11 months, which is longer than the national average of 8.4 months. Longer wait times can reflect higher caseload volume relative to available judges. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 312 days. There are currently 1,515 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 152 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 45.5%. 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 Nhc Chicago Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Nhc Chicago, 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 11 months and 312 days average processing time, claimants at Nhc Chicago can expect a total timeline of roughly 21 months from hearing request to decision. This longer-than-average wait underscores the importance of having complete medical evidence ready well before the hearing date.
Judges at Nhc Chicago have collectively issued 2,381 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 238 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 109 to 420 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Nhc Chicago Hearing Office FAQ
What is the approval rate at Nhc Chicago?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 14.8% to 87.4%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 45.5%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Which judges hear cases at Nhc Chicago?
How long is the wait time at Nhc Chicago?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 21 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.
How is office data calculated?
What is the fully favorable rate at Nhc Chicago?
How does Nhc Chicago compare to other offices in the state?
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