Who decides cases at this office
The 12 judges at this office show a moderate spread in their allowance rates, which range from 44% to 74% with a median of 66%. Because cases are assigned randomly, you cannot choose your judge, and each one weighs evidence differently. This variation means your file must be robust enough to stand on its own merits regardless of which judge presides over your session.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David L. Welch | 75% | 5,401 | |
| 2 | Albert J. Velasquez | 72% | 31,974 | |
| 3 | John H. Metz | 71% | 5,480 | |
| 4 | Timothy Turner | 68% | 14,534 | |
| 5 | Daniel J. Mages | 67% | 30,530 | |
| 6 | James R. Norris | 66% | 3,045 | |
| 7 | Ronald T. Jordan | 66% | 14,359 | |
| 8 | Shelette Veal | 65% | 25,411 | |
| 9 | Jody H. Odell | 63% | 30,371 | |
| 10 | Monica LaPolt | 61% | 25,241 | |
| 11 | Blanca B. de la Torre | 60% | 8,528 | |
| 12 | Noell F. Allen | 59% | 18,262 | |
| 13 | Fredric Roberson | 57% | 25,601 | |
| 14 | T. Whitaker | 56% | 15,244 | |
| 15 | Belinda J. Brown | 53% | 15,347 | |
| 16 | Teresa A. Kroenecke | 50% | 27,115 | |
| 17 | Gladys Whitfield | 48% | 25,377 | |
| 18 | Kevin Walker | 48% | 26,867 | |
| 19 | Jeffrey S. Ciegel | 44% | 7,787 | |
| 20 | Kimberly Sorg-Graves | 41% | 3,524 |
Heading to an ALJ hearing? See if you qualify for representation before your hearing.
Free Benefits ReviewHow long you'll wait
At Indianapolis, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 7 months— versus a national average of 8 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Going to your hearing
Hearings at this office move faster than the national average, so you must prioritize your evidence submission early. You will typically spend time in front of an ALJ, who will evaluate your medical history and daily limitations. A vocational expert will often testify about whether jobs exist that fit your specific restrictions, and you or your attorney will have the opportunity to question them. Bring your current medication list, a log of your daily activities, and any updated medical records from your doctors since your initial denial. Because the Social Security Administration imposes strict deadlines for submitting new evidence, waiting until the last minute can leave you without critical support for your claim. Your final decision will arrive by mail after the hearing concludes.
Hearings in Indianapolis come up quickly, leaving little room for error once your date is set. When a panel's allowance rates span 30 points, your file must be strong enough that no judge can dismiss it due to gaps in documentation. An attorney can help you bridge these gaps by identifying the specific medical evidence that aligns with the requirements of the Social Security Disability Insurance program.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Indianapolis, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. Field offices don't decide hearings, but they hold your file, issue benefit-payment notices, and field the day-to-day questions during your wait.