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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
CHICAGO
Region 05Rank #138 of 160
Avg processing
292days
+26 vs national
Processing time
292
9.7 months
Hearing wait
9.0
months (current)
Cases pending
3,135
FY receipts
3,021
FY dispositions
2,350
Active judges
10
Video hearings
5%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
54.8%
-3.0 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.29
Growing
Rank
#138
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 72 daysAvg · 266 daysSlowest · 680 days
The draw · approval spread across 10 judges
40%
69%
0%Median 55.2%100%
At CHICAGO, approval rates range from 39.8% (Mellman, Nathan) to 69.0% (Logan, Michael) — a 29-pointspread. Assignment is effectively the luck of the draw, so the judge a case lands with can matter more than the office’s average. Plan for the median (55.2%), not the best case.
Judges at CHICAGO (10)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan, Michael | 69.0% | 252 | 174 | 78 | |
| Suffi, Carla | 66.2% | 275 | 182 | 93 | |
| Saame, Brian | 63.6% | 66 | 42 | 24 | |
| Skidmore, David | 62.5% | 240 | 150 | 90 | |
| Poulose, Mary Ann | 58.8% | 216 | 127 | 89 | |
| Laskaris, Bill | 51.6% | 281 | 145 | 136 | |
| Bridges, Kathryn | 50.4% | 234 | 118 | 116 | |
| Carey, Margaret A | 49.1% | 267 | 131 | 136 | |
| Garelick, Jordan | 42.1% | 228 | 96 | 132 | |
| Mellman, Nathan | 39.8% | 251 | 100 | 151 |