Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. Claudia Travis maintains a 77% lifetime approval rate, which falls within the 35% to 84% lifetime range observed across the Oak Brook bench. In the most recent reporting period, her 81% approval rate stands 21 points higher than the office-wide latest-period average of 60%. These figures rely on a robust docket of 1,046 lifetime decisions. These aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting the outcome of 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 Travis'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 2023, the record for Claudia Travis shows a total of 1,046 decisions. Her yearly approval trend has seen fluctuation, moving from 76% in 2023 to 71% in 2024, followed by an upward trend to 79% in 2025 and 81% in 2026. This latest-period performance indicates a shift compared to your earlier years on record. The recent data reflects a continuation of this upward pattern, which may be influenced by changes in the types of cases heard or the quality of evidence presented.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Travis'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 Oak Brook hearing office
The Oak Brook hearing office serves you if you are in Illinois and the surrounding region. With 10 judges on record, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 60%. You can expect a formal hearing process where the focus remains on the specific medical and vocational evidence supporting your disability claim. You can see the Oak Brook Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 10 judges on record at the Oak Brook office since 2016, with 2 judges reported in the latest SSA file. The lifetime approval rates for judges at this office range from 35% to 84%. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same 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
Claudia Travis has a lifetime approval rate of 77%, which sits within the 35% to 84% range of lifetime rates for the 10 judges on record at the Oak Brook office. An attorney can help you understand how your case evidence aligns with the standards of this specific office.
Yes, the data shows a trend of 76% in 2023, 71% in 2024, 79% in 2025, and 81% in 2026. This trend reflects the judge's recent decision patterns across 1,046 lifetime decisions. A qualified attorney can help you evaluate how these trends might relate to your specific claim.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, it is vital to be prepared for any judge by working with an attorney who knows the local hearing office.
The 77% lifetime approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a guarantee of how Claudia Travis will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony you provide. An attorney can help you organize this evidence to meet the requirements of your hearing.