Approval rates
Judge Strickler maintains an approval rate of 67%, which is 9 percentage points higher than the current national average of 58%. Compared to the Peoria Hearing Office average of 56%, his decisions show a distinct pattern of allowance. This data is derived from a significant docket of 5,646 lifetime decisions accumulated over his 4 years on the bench. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Strickler'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 joining the bench in 2022, Judge Strickler has maintained a consistent approval rate. His yearly trend shows a steady performance, with approval rates holding at 66% to 67% throughout his tenure. This stability suggests a predictable approach to evaluating evidence and medical documentation. The recent period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, providing a reliable baseline for what to expect during your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Strickler'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 Strickler? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Peoria hearing office
The Peoria Hearing Office serves a wide region in Illinois, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 judges, the office maintains an overall latest approval rate of 56%. You can expect a formal process focused on medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see 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 is effectively random. Within the Peoria Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges vary significantly, ranging from 42% to 67%. Because each judge may weigh evidence differently, understanding the broader office environment is useful. You can find more information 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.