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Nhc Chicago Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Illinois · SSA Region 12

Approval Rate

50.6%

vs 58.3% national

Wait Time

11 months

vs 8 months national

Processing Time

454 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

645

awaiting hearing

ALJs

12

active judges

Nhc Chicago 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
Richard Thrasher 92.9% 7.1% 92.9% 14 21
Denise M Martin 76.5% 23.5% 47.1% 17 17
John Martin 63.4% 36.6% 57.8% 268 307
Brian Lucas 62.5% 37.5% 55.2% 192 232
Deanna L Sokolski 61.3% 38.7% 43.5% 62 67
Helen Valkavich 60.3% 39.7% 44.8% 252 311
Roxanne Fuller 56.3% 43.7% 52.3% 174 202
Mary Ann Poulose 52.1% 47.9% 47.9% 215 267
Kathryn Bridges 49.2% 50.8% 34.7% 124 158
Anne Sharrard 48.4% 51.6% 41.5% 159 195
Henry Kramzyk 24.5% 75.5% 18.2% 143 165
Thomas J Sanzi 14.8% 85.2% 11.2% 169 208

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 12 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals. With 12 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 50.6%, which is below the national average of 58.3%. 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 92.9%, a 78-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 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 454 days. There are currently 645 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 54 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 45.6%. 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 454 days average processing time, claimants at Nhc Chicago can expect a total timeline of roughly 26 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 1,789 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 149 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 14 to 268 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Nhc Chicago Hearing Office FAQ

What is the approval rate at Nhc Chicago?
The average ALJ approval rate at Nhc Chicago is 50.6% for FY 2025. This rate combines both fully favorable and partially favorable decisions.

Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 14.8% to 92.9%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 45.6%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Which judges hear cases at Nhc Chicago?
The Nhc Chicago office has 12 administrative law judges. Of these, 10 have issued 50 or more decisions in FY 2025. Decision counts range from 14 to 268 in the current fiscal year. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
How long is the wait time at Nhc Chicago?
The current average wait time at Nhc Chicago is 11 months. This is longer than the national average of 8 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 454 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 26 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?
With 12 judges handling cases, this is one of the larger hearing offices. Office statistics are calculated by aggregating individual judge decision data. See our methodology page for details on data sources and calculations. Data originates from SSA public use files and is refreshed as new reports are published throughout the fiscal year.
What is the fully favorable rate at Nhc Chicago?
A fully favorable decision means the claimant is awarded benefits starting from the onset date they originally claimed. A partially favorable decision also awards benefits, but may set a later onset date than requested. Both types count toward the overall approval rate. The distinction is important because onset date determines how far back retroactive benefits extend. At Nhc Chicago, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 45.6%.
How does Nhc Chicago compare to other offices in the state?
Of the 7 hearing offices in Illinois, Nhc Chicago ranks 5 of 7 with an approval rate of 50.6%. In terms of wait time, Nhc Chicago ranks 7 of 7 (11 months). Visit the Illinois overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

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