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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
ORLAND PARK
Region 05Rank #78 of 160
Avg processing
257days
-9 vs national
Processing time
257
8.6 months
Hearing wait
8.0
months (current)
Cases pending
1,901
FY receipts
2,036
FY dispositions
1,964
Active judges
6
Video hearings
9%
of hearings held
Avg approval rate
42.2%
-15.5 vs avg
Backlog ratio
1.04
Growing
Rank
#78
of 160
Processing time in context
Fastest · 72 daysAvg · 266 daysSlowest · 680 days
The draw · approval spread across 6 judges
15%
59%
0%Median 44.9%100%
At ORLAND PARK, approval rates range from 15.5% (Kadlec, Kathleen) to 58.7% (Smith, Gregory) — a 43-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 (44.9%), not the best case.
Judges at ORLAND PARK (6)
| Judge | Approval | Decisions | Favorable | Denied | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith, Gregory | 58.7% | 383 | 225 | 158 | |
| Bruce, David R | 54.1% | 344 | 186 | 158 | |
| Sayon, Karen | 45.9% | 281 | 129 | 152 | |
| Hellman, Michael | 43.8% | 105 | 46 | 59 | |
| Akers, Janet | 23.8% | 282 | 67 | 215 | |
| Kadlec, Kathleen | 15.5% | 239 | 37 | 202 |