Approval rates
Judge Blackmore maintains a lifetime approval rate of 60% based on 4,948 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, her approval rate was 59%, which compares to an office-wide average of 67% and a national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical view of her tenure, though they do not account for the unique medical evidence in your specific claim. 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 Blackmore'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 her 3 years on the bench, Judge Blackmore has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. Her yearly approval trends show a slight fluctuation, moving from 58% in 2023 to 61% in 2024, before settling at 60% in 2025. This indicates a stable decision-making pattern that has remained steady throughout her tenure. The recent period reflects a continuation of this balanced approach, suggesting that her evaluation criteria remain predictable for those presenting comprehensive medical documentation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Blackmore'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 Blackmore? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Oak Park hearing office
The Oak Park Hearing Office serves a significant volume of claimants throughout the Illinois region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a complex caseload that reflects the diverse needs of the local population. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 67%, which provides a broader context for the local administrative environment. You can visit the Oak Park Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Across the Oak Park Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 50% to 80%. Because the judge you draw is outside of your control, focusing on the quality of your medical evidence is the most effective way to prepare. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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.