Approval rates
The approval rate for Bernadette Freeman is based on 953 lifetime decisions, offering a clear view of her historical record. Within the Oak Brook hearing office, the lifetime approval rates for all judges on record range from 35% to 84%. Comparing your judge's history to the office-wide range helps contextualize your hearing environment.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Freeman. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 25, 2020. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Freeman'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
Bernadette Freeman's record, spanning from 2016 to 2020, shows a consistent pattern of approvals. After an initial period of high approval rates, the data indicates a shift in the later years of the record window. Understanding these fluctuations is part of building a comprehensive strategy for your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Freeman'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Oak Brook hearing office
The Oak Brook hearing office serves you throughout the region, maintaining a bench of 10 judges on record. As part of the SSA hearing network, this office handles a diverse range of disability claims. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. See the Oak Brook Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. There are 10 judges on record at the Oak Brook office since 2016. Approval rates across this bench vary widely, ranging from 35% to 84% over their respective careers.
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
Bernadette Freeman holds an 84% lifetime approval rate, which sits at the high end of the 35% to 84% range observed among the 10 judges on record at the Oak Brook office. An attorney can help you understand how to tailor your evidence to meet the standards of this specific bench.
The data shows an 84% lifetime approval rate across 953 decisions, with yearly fluctuations between 2016 and 2020. While the rate started high, it shifted in the later years of the recorded window. A qualified attorney can help you evaluate how these historical trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The SSA uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney is the best way to prepare for any outcome.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where you, your attorney, and often a vocational expert or medical expert appear before the judge. The judge will review your medical records and ask questions to determine your ability to perform work. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a guarantee of how Bernadette Freeman will rule on your specific claim. Your success depends primarily on the strength of your medical evidence and your ability to demonstrate how your condition prevents you from working. An attorney can help you build a case that clearly meets these requirements.