Approval rates
Judge Pope maintains a lifetime approval rate of 53% based on 4,471 decisions. In the most recent reporting period, the approval rate was 58%, which aligns with the national average but sits 3 points below the current Evanston office average of 56%. These figures reflect a significant docket size, providing a stable look at historical decision-making. 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 Pope'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 3 years on the bench, Judge Pope has shown an upward trend in approval rates. Starting at 48% in 2023, the rate rose to 52% in 2024 and reached 59% in 2025. This steady increase suggests a shift in the types of cases heard or the quality of evidence presented. The recent period reflects a continuation of this pattern, indicating that the judge's approach has evolved during their tenure.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Pope'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 Pope? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Evanston hearing office
The Evanston Hearing Office serves a large population across Illinois, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains a latest approval rate of 56%. You can expect a standard hearing process focused on your medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Evanston Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning you cannot choose your judge. At the Evanston Hearing Office, the bench includes 6 judges with lifetime approval rates ranging from 46% to 76%. This variance highlights why understanding the local bench is helpful, even if the assignment process is random. For preparation purposes, the guidance is 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.