Approval rates
Judge Horn's 64% lifetime approval rate reflects a consistent approach to disability claims. In the most recent reporting period, this rate outperformed the Oak Brook office average by 7 percentage points and the national average by 6 percentage points. These figures are derived from a docket of 499 lifetime decisions. 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 Horn'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 1-year tenure, Judge Horn has established a steady approval pattern with a 64% rate across 499 lifetime decisions. This consistency suggests a stable approach to evaluating medical evidence and vocational factors. The current data indicates a reliable decision-making rhythm that reflects a steady approach to the adjudication of your disability benefits.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Horn'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 Horn? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Oak Brook hearing office
The Oak Brook Hearing Office serves a significant volume of claimants throughout Illinois, managing a diverse caseload. With 6 judges on the bench, the office maintains an average approval rate of 57%. You can expect a formal environment where the quality of your medical documentation is the primary driver of your success. You can see the Oak Brook Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your specific judge is selected randomly. Within the Oak Brook office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges vary significantly, ranging from 34% to 83%. This variance highlights why understanding the general environment of your hearing office is more important than focusing on a single judge. You can view the full office roster on the Oak Brook Hearing Office page.
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.