Approval rates
Judge Martin’s lifetime approval rate of 69% provides a baseline for understanding his decision history compared to broader office and national trends. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate of 63% is higher than the current NHC Chicago office average of 51%. These figures are derived from a docket of 34,506 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 Martin'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-year tenure, Judge Martin has shown a consistent decision pattern with an overall approval rate of 69%. While his yearly approval rates have fluctuated between 64% and 79%, the data indicates a stable long-term approach to disability claims. The most recent reporting period shows a 63% approval rate, which aligns with his established historical range. This trend suggests a steady judicial philosophy that has remained consistent despite changes in case volume over the last decade.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Martin'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 Martin? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Nhc Chicago hearing office
The NHC Chicago Hearing Office serves a large population across Illinois and the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability claims, currently maintaining an office-wide approval rate of 51%. You should be prepared for a formal administrative process focused on medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can visit the NHC Chicago Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the NHC Chicago office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 41% to 69%. This variance highlights why understanding the general environment of your hearing office is important. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains 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.