Approval rates
This table displays the approval rate for Timothy J. Christensen compared to the bench at the Oak Park hearing office. The data reflects 3,487 decisions on record since 2016. The 9 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 40% to 81% on their since-2016 records. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Judge Christensen is not in SSA's latest disposition file, so there is no 12-month figure. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Judge Christensen isn't in SSA's latest disposition file, so the judge comparison tool, which compares active judges over the same 12 months, leaves them out.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Christensen'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
Timothy J. Christensen has issued 3,487 decisions on record since 2016. His approval rate has fluctuated over this period. The most recent data from 2025 shows a rate of 73%, which sits above his overall record of 69% since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Christensen'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 serves you in Michigan and is part of the broader SSA regional network. There are 19 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can expect a standard administrative hearing process designed to evaluate your disability eligibility based on medical evidence. You can see the Oak Park Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oak Park
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Among the 19 judges whose most recent office on record is Oak Park, 9 decided cases here in SSA's latest file and range from 40% to 81% on their since-2016 records. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Timothy J. Christensen has a 69% approval rate on record since 2016. This falls within the range of 40% to 81% established by the 9 judges who decided cases at the Oak Park office in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you understand how these figures might relate to your specific case.
Yes, the rate has shifted over time. After starting at 70% in 2016, the rate saw a low of 60% in 2018 before rising to 79% in 2023. A qualified attorney can help you prepare for the specific bench of Timothy J. Christensen.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where you, your attorney, and potentially a vocational or medical expert appear before an ALJ. The judge will review your medical records and ask questions to determine if you meet the criteria for disability benefits. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and evidence for this process.
