Back to all offices
Updated July 2026 · SSA Public
Hearing Office
ORLAND PARK
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
42.4%
-15.3 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 15.2% (Kadlec, Kathleen) to 59.2% (Smith, Gregory) — a 44-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 | 59.2% | 429 | 254 | 175 | |
| Bruce, David R | 54.6% | 399 | 218 | 181 | |
| Sayon, Karen | 47.9% | 330 | 158 | 172 | |
| Hellman, Michael | 41.9% | 136 | 57 | 79 | |
| Akers, Janet | 22.9% | 323 | 74 | 249 | |
| Kadlec, Kathleen | 15.2% | 277 | 42 | 235 |