Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. The judge's 45% approval rate on record since 2016 sits within the 45% to 79% range observed among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is Evanston. In the most recent reporting period, the judge's 44% approval rate compares against the office's 61%, the state's 54%, and the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for your hearing preparation.
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 Inouye'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
Since 2016, the judge has issued 4,178 decisions with an approval rate of 45%. The yearly trend shows a relatively steady pattern, with annual approval rates fluctuating between 38% and 51% over the last decade. The most recent fiscal year-to-date data shows a 45% approval rate, which remains consistent with the long-term average. This stability suggests that the judge's approach to evaluating evidence has remained predictable over the period covered by our data.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Inouye'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 Evanston hearing office
Jessica Inouye's most recent office on record is the Evanston hearing office, which serves claimants across Illinois. This office maintains a bench of 15 judges, and the office-wide approval rate in the latest reporting period was 61%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Evanston
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 15 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, and 6 of them decided cases here in SSA's latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 45% to 79% on their since-2016 records.
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
Judge Inouye's 45% approval rate on record since 2016 is at the lower end of the 45% to 79% range seen among the 15 judges whose most recent office on record is Evanston. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
The judge's approval rate has remained relatively steady over the last decade. While there is year-to-year fluctuation, such as a 50% rate in 2016 and 45% in 2026, the overall pattern shows consistency. A qualified attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using an automated workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across hearing offices. Since you cannot choose your judge, working with an attorney is the best way to ensure your case is prepared for the specific requirements of an SSDI hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical reflection of past decisions and is not a prediction of your outcome. Judge Inouye's 45% rate on record since 2016 is one data point, but your success depends primarily on the quality of your medical documentation and testimony. An attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence to meet the SSA's disability criteria.
