Approval rates
The approval rate for Michael Pendola is based on 2,853 decisions since 2016. Among the 9 judges whose most recent office on record is Orland Park, approval rates range from 25% to 69%. This data provides a baseline for understanding how past cases have been decided at this office, though these aggregate rates do not predict the outcome of your specific hearing.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Pendola. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 26, 2025. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Pendola'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 approval rate for Michael Pendola has shown an upward trend. After starting at 45% in 2016, the rate rose to 68% by 2019. In recent years, the judge has seen higher approval rates, reaching 91% in 2023 and 85% through September 2025. This pattern reflects the outcomes across the 2,853 decisions on record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pendola'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 Orland Park hearing office
Michael Pendola's most recent office on record is the Orland Park hearing office, with decisions there through September 2025. This office serves the Illinois region and is part of a larger network of Social Security Administration hearing locations. With a bench of 9 judges whose most recent record is at this location, you can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical documentation.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Orland Park
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 9 judges whose most recent office on record is Orland Park, with approval rates ranging from 25% to 69%. While these figures vary, the process for presenting your medical evidence remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Michael Pendola has an approval rate of 69% since 2016. Among the 9 judges whose most recent office on record is Orland Park, approval rates range from 25% to 69%. An attorney can help you understand how your specific case evidence aligns with these patterns.
Yes, the approval rate for Michael Pendola has trended upward over the 2,853 decisions on record. While the rate was 45% in 2016, it reached 85% by September 2025. A qualified attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of these historical trends.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing no matter which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and 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 medical records for the hearing.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a prediction of your outcome. Michael Pendola has approved 1,980 of 2,853 cases since 2016, but every case is decided on its own merits and evidence. An attorney can help you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your specific claim.
