Approval rates
Judge Barezky’s approval rate is higher than the current Chicago Hearing Office average of 56% and the national average of 58%. With 20,183 decisions, the data provides a significant look at how this judge has historically approached disability claims. These figures reflect a broad career history, though recent periods show fluctuation in approval trends. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Barezky'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
Over a decade on the bench, Judge Barezky has demonstrated a consistent pattern of approval that remains above regional and national benchmarks. While your annual approval rate has seen shifts—ranging from a high of 87% in earlier years to more recent figures—the overall volume of 20,183 decisions suggests a stable judicial philosophy. The latest reporting period shows a 79% approval rate, indicating that the judge continues to approve a high percentage of claims. This trend suggests that the judge’s approach to evidence and testimony remains favorable compared to the broader office environment.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Barezky'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.
Hearing with Judge Barezky? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Chicago hearing office
The Chicago (Illinois) Hearing Office serves a large population across the region and manages a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office operates under the standard SSA procedures for evaluating medical and vocational evidence. The office-wide approval rate currently sits at 56%, providing a baseline for the local administrative environment. You can visit the Chicago Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Chicago Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 41% to 81%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the evidence, the specific judge you draw can influence the flow of your hearing. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.