ALJ Statistics powered by Chronicle
Official SSA Data

Oak Brook Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times

Illinois · SSA Region 05

Approval Rate

45.3%

vs 57.6% national

Wait Time

7 months

vs 8.4 months national

Processing Time

266 days

avg days to decision

Cases Pending

1,289

awaiting hearing

ALJs

2

active judges

Oak Brook 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
Claudia Travis 81.2% 18.8% 67.2% 372 441
Edward Studzinski 45.3% 54.7% 37.9% 486 581

Former Judges at Oak Brook

These judges have no recorded decisions at Oak Brook 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
Janice M Bruning March 2025 57.9% 499
Joel G Fina March 2025 66.5% 331

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 Oak Brook Social Security Hearing Office

Claimants in the Oak Brook 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 2 active ALJs. As a smaller office, caseload is concentrated among fewer judges, which means individual judge statistics have a more pronounced effect on overall office outcomes.

The office's average approval rate is 45.3%, which is below the national average of 57.6%. This rate is shaped by the interplay of case characteristics, local representation patterns, and individual judge decision tendencies. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 45.3% to 81.2%, a 36-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.

The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 7 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 266 days. There are currently 1,289 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 645 pending cases per judge.

Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 52.5%. 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 Oak Brook Hearing Office Data

Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Oak Brook, 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 7 months and 266 days average processing time, claimants at Oak Brook can expect a total timeline of roughly 16 months from hearing request to decision.

Judges at Oak Brook have collectively issued 858 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 429 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 372 to 486 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.

Oak Brook Hearing Office FAQ

How often are disability cases approved at Oak Brook?
The average ALJ approval rate at Oak Brook is 45.3% 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 45.3% to 81.2%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 52.5%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
How many ALJs work at Oak Brook?
The Oak Brook office has 2 administrative law judges. Decision counts range from 372 to 486 in the 12 months ending July 2026. See the judges table above for individual statistics.
What is the average case processing time at Oak Brook?
The current average wait time at Oak Brook is 7 months. This is shorter than the national average of 8.4 months. After the hearing, decisions are issued in an average of 266 days.

From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 16 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 7 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.
How often do judges at Oak Brook issue fully favorable decisions?
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 Oak Brook, the average fully favorable rate across judges is 52.5%.
Is Oak Brook's approval rate higher or lower than nearby offices?
Of the 6 hearing offices in Illinois, Oak Brook has the lowest approval rate at 45.3%. In terms of wait time, Oak Brook ranks 1 of 6 (7 months). Visit the Illinois overview page for a full comparison of all offices in the state.

ALJ Statistics: Powered by Chronicle

Chronicle monitors the ERE daily so disability attorneys never miss a document, questionnaire, or hearing notice. Trusted by 100+ law firms as their virtual SSA mailroom software.

Learn More

Continue Exploring

Illinois Offices All Offices All Judges Methodology