Approval rates
Judge Laskaris maintains a lifetime approval rate of 46% based on 21,911 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 56%, which aligns with the current Chicago Hearing Office average but remains slightly below the national average of 58%. This data reflects a significant volume of cases handled over a 10-year tenure. 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 Laskaris'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 his 10 years on the bench, Judge Laskaris has seen his approval rates fluctuate, starting at 50% in 2016 and experiencing a period of lower activity between 2017 and 2021. However, the trend has shifted upward in recent years, with the 2025 reporting period showing a 56% approval rate. This recent uptick suggests a shift in case outcomes compared to his earlier tenure. These patterns provide insight into the judge's historical approach to evidence evaluation.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Laskaris'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 Laskaris? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Chicago hearing office
The Chicago Hearing Office serves a large population across Illinois, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 56%, reflecting the complex nature of the cases heard in this region. You can expect a rigorous review process focused on your medical documentation and vocational evidence. You can visit the Chicago (Illinois) Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning you cannot choose your judge. Within the Chicago Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench vary significantly, ranging from 41% to 69%. This variance highlights why understanding the specific environment of your hearing office is important. You can review the office-wide performance metrics to understand the broader context of your hearing.
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.