Approval rates
Comparing Nathan Mellman's record to the Chicago hearing office requires looking at both lifetime and recent data. While his lifetime approval rate sits at 41%, the office-wide lifetime range for all judges on record spans from 41% to 82%. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 39%, which is 15 percentage points lower than the office average of 54%. These figures reflect historical trends rather than a prediction for your specific 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 Mellman'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, Nathan Mellman has maintained a consistent docket with 3,540 lifetime decisions. His yearly approval rates have fluctuated, showing a peak in 2024 before settling toward his long-term average in 2026. This trend suggests that while individual years vary, his overall approach remains grounded in the evidence presented in each case.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Mellman'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 Chicago hearing office
The Chicago hearing office serves claimants throughout the region, managing a high volume of disability cases. With 16 judges on record since 2016, this office operates under a latest-period approval rate of 54%. You can expect a review process where the quality of your medical evidence is the primary factor in a favorable decision.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Nathan Mellman is essentially random. There are 16 judges on record at this office since 2016, 10 of whom reported in the latest period. With an office-wide lifetime approval range of 41% to 82%, you may encounter a variety of decision patterns across the bench.
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
Nathan Mellman's lifetime approval rate is 41%, which sits at the lower end of the 41% to 82% range observed among the 16 judges on record at the Chicago hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this bench.
Yes, his approval rates have varied annually, ranging from a low of 30% in 2016 to a high of 50% in 2024. Despite these yearly shifts, his lifetime average remains 41% over 3,540 decisions. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific medical evidence.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the process random. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You will likely be asked about your work history and how your impairments limit your daily activities. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your evidence for the hearing.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical reflection of past decisions and does not predict the outcome of your specific hearing. Your case's success depends primarily on the strength and clarity of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you ensure your file is complete and ready for review.