Approval rates
Judge Rickert maintains a lifetime approval rate of 63%, which compares favorably to the Peoria Hearing Office average of 56% and the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 3,249 decisions, providing a robust sample size for analysis. By looking at these metrics, you can understand how his bench historically evaluates disability claims compared to broader regional and national trends.
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 Rickert'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 4 years on the bench, Judge Rickert has shown a varied yearly trend. His approval rates saw a steady climb from 61% in 2016 to 75% in 2018, followed by a shift in the most recent reporting period. This pattern suggests that while his career-long average is high, your individual hearing outcome is sensitive to the specific evidence and case mix you present. These fluctuations are common in administrative law and highlight the importance of presenting a complete medical record.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Rickert'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 Rickert? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Peoria hearing office
The Peoria Hearing Office serves a broad population across Illinois, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 56%. You can expect a formal process focused on medical documentation and vocational testimony. You can visit the Peoria Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment to Judge Rickert is effectively random. Within the Peoria Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 42% to 67%. This variance across the local bench underscores that while the judge matters, the core requirements for proving disability remain consistent. You can find more information on the office's general operations on the Peoria Hearing Office page.
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.