Approval rates
Judge Freeman's approval rate is evaluated against the latest performance metrics from the Oak Brook office and national standards. With a lifetime record spanning 5,751 decisions, the data provides a clear view of her historical decision-making tendencies. Her recent approval rate remains notably higher than the 57% office average and the 58% national benchmark. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 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
Over your 5 years on the bench, Judge Freeman has demonstrated a consistent approach to disability claims. Her approval rate peaked in 2018 at 87% before seeing a gradual adjustment in subsequent years, reaching 74% in 2020. This trend reflects a high volume of cases handled across two different hearing offices. The recent period shows a shift from her earlier peak, though she remains well above regional averages. This pattern suggests a judge who evaluates evidence with a stable, long-term perspective.
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.
Hearing with Judge Freeman? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Oak Brook hearing office
The Oak Brook Hearing Office serves a large population in Illinois, managing a high volume of disability claims through a team of 6 ALJs. The office currently reports an average approval rate of 57%, reflecting the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can see the Oak Brook Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random and outside of your control. Within the Oak Brook office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 34% to 83%. This variance highlights why the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the process. 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.