Orland Park Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Illinois · SSA Region 05
Approval Rate
50.4%
vs 58.3% national
Wait Time
7 months
vs 8 months national
Processing Time
247 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
2,018
awaiting hearing
ALJs
9
active judges
Orland Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Pendola | 84.8% | 15.2% | 75.8% | 223 | 272 |
| Patricia W Supergan | 60.2% | 39.8% | 55% | 171 | 199 |
| David R Bruce | 59.1% | 40.9% | 52.6% | 401 | 465 |
| Gregory Smith | 57.6% | 42.4% | 46.8% | 453 | 535 |
| Karen Sayon | 44.3% | 55.7% | 40.4% | 418 | 467 |
| Michael Hellman | 33.1% | 66.9% | 26.7% | 311 | 372 |
| Janet Akers | 31.2% | 68.8% | 21.3% | 263 | 303 |
| Deborah M Giesen | 11.3% | 88.8% | 10% | 80 | 96 |
| Kathleen Kadlec | 8.7% | 91.3% | 3% | 263 | 345 |
About the Orland Park Social Security Hearing Office
Orland Park is a Social Security disability hearing office serving claimants in Illinois. Operating within SSA Region 05, the office has 9 ALJs who preside over disability appeals.
The office's average approval rate is 50.4%, which is below the national average of 58.3%. A lower aggregate rate does not necessarily indicate stricter standards — it may reflect differences in case demographics, representation quality, or the types of conditions presented at hearings. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 8.7% to 84.8%, a 76-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 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 247 days. There are currently 2,018 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 224 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 36.8%. A fully favorable decision awards benefits from the claimant's requested onset date, while a partially favorable decision may set a later onset date. Both count toward the overall approval rate.
How to Interpret Orland Park Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Orland Park, 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 247 days average processing time, claimants at Orland Park can expect a total timeline of roughly 15 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Orland Park have collectively issued 2,583 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 287 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 80 to 453 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Orland Park Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Orland Park?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 8.7% to 84.8%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 36.8%. The national average approval rate is 58.3%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Orland Park?
How long do disability cases take at Orland Park?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 15 months. These wait time figures represent the latest available snapshot and may fluctuate as hearing volumes and judge availability change over time.