Approval rates
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, the 76% approval rate for Janet L. Alaga-Gadigian compares to an office rate of 66%, a state rate of 60%, and a national rate of 58%. These figures reflect the judge's recent activity at the Oak Park Hearing Office.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Alaga-Gadigian's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Since 2016, Janet L. Alaga-Gadigian has issued 3,696 decisions. Her annual approval rates have varied, with 66% in 2016, 75% in 2017, 67% in 2018, 62% in 2019, 67% in 2020, 67% in 2021, 68% in 2022, 72% in 2023, 71% in 2024, 76% in 2025, and 80% in 2026.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Alaga-Gadigian's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
About the Oak Park hearing office
The Oak Park Hearing Office is the most recent office on record for Janet L. Alaga-Gadigian as of July 2026. The office bench consists of 9 judges who decided cases in SSA's latest file, with an approval rate range of 40% to 86% over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oak Park
The 9 judges who decided cases at the Oak Park Hearing Office in SSA's latest file range from 40% to 86% in approval rates over the 12 months to July 31, 2026.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Alaga-Gadigian's 76%. Three of them last decided cases in Michigan. With too few close matches there, the rest come from SSA's Chicago region.
- 74% Approval rate, last 12 months Alice F. Blackmore
- 73% Approval rate, last 12 months Joy Turner
- 71% Approval rate, last 12 months Robert J. Chavez
- 77% Approval rate, last 12 months Daniel J. Mages
- 78% Approval rate, last 12 months Kevin R. Barnes
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Alaga-Gadigian and the three closest side by side →
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, Janet L. Alaga-Gadigian approved 76% of cases, compared to the 40% to 86% range among the 9 judges who decided cases at the Oak Park Hearing Office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
Janet L. Alaga-Gadigian has a 69% approval rate across 3,696 decisions on record since 2016. Her recent 76% approval rate over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, is higher than her long-term average. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. Cases are assigned to judges at the Oak Park Hearing Office through a random process. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a proceeding where you testify about your limitations before an ALJ. The judge may also hear from medical or vocational experts. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
A judge's approval rate reflects past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case is decided based on the evidence you provide. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
