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Q2 FY2025 · SSA Public
State Profile
Illinois
IL · Region CHI
DDS approval rate
38.6%
-1.2 pts vs national
DDS approval rate
38.6%
National: 39.8%
3-year change
+1.6 pts
Annual receipts
63,726
FY2024
Hearing offices
7
57 ALJs
Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-02
Initial receipts
5,779
Initial determinations
5,538
Initial allowance rate
36.5%
Initial pending
19,936
Recon determinations
1,878
Recon allowance rate
19.8%
Hearing offices in Illinois
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEORIA | 26 | 239 | 1,312 | 56.4% | 5 |
| OAK PARK | 56 | 256 | 1,924 | 67.3% | 10 |
| OAK BROOK | 58 | 261 | 914 | 57.0% | 4 |
| EVANSTON | 64 | 263 | 1,840 | 56.1% | 7 |
| ORLAND PARK | 64 | 263 | 1,840 | 46.1% | 9 |
| CHICAGO | 70 | 268 | 2,473 | 56.7% | 10 |
| NHC CHICAGO | — | 306 | 2,281 | 51.2% | 12 |
ALJs in Illinois (57)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrasher, Richard | NHC CHICAGO | 92.9% | 14 | 13 | |
| Pendola, Michael | ORLAND PARK | 84.8% | 223 | 189 | |
| Gruenburg, Dawn M | OAK PARK | 84.4% | 443 | 374 | |
| Contorer, Beth J | OAK PARK | 80.9% | 341 | 276 | |
| Paige, Melody | OAK PARK | 79.1% | 402 | 318 | |
| Barezky, Bonny S | CHICAGO | 79.0% | 100 | 79 | |
| Travis, Claudia | OAK BROOK | 78.7% | 310 | 244 | |
| Saame, Brian | CHICAGO | 77.6% | 49 | 38 | |
| Martin, Denise M | NHC CHICAGO | 76.5% | 17 | 13 | |
| Alaga-Gadigian, Janet L | OAK PARK | 75.7% | 338 | 256 | |
| Deming, Kari | OAK PARK | 75.6% | 78 | 59 | |
| Christensen, Timothy J | OAK PARK | 72.6% | 168 | 122 | |
| Logan, Michael | CHICAGO | 72.6% | 288 | 209 | |
| MacDonald, James E | EVANSTON | 69.5% | 419 | 291 | |
| Strickler, Nathaniel E | PEORIA | 67.1% | 404 | 271 | |
| Fina, Joel G | OAK BROOK | 65.9% | 126 | 83 | |
| Suffi, Carla | CHICAGO | 63.6% | 324 | 206 | |
| Martin, John | NHC CHICAGO | 63.4% | 268 | 170 | |
| Lucas, Brian | NHC CHICAGO | 62.5% | 192 | 120 | |
| Sokolski, Deanna L | NHC CHICAGO | 61.3% | 62 | 38 | |
| Valkavich, Helen | NHC CHICAGO | 60.3% | 252 | 152 | |
| Supergan, Patricia W | ORLAND PARK | 60.2% | 171 | 103 | |
| Vodak, Kevin | EVANSTON | 59.2% | 358 | 212 | |
| Bruce, David R | ORLAND PARK | 59.1% | 401 | 237 | |
| Blackmore, Alice F | OAK PARK | 58.8% | 136 | 80 | |
| Pope, Stephen | EVANSTON | 57.6% | 210 | 121 | |
| Smith, Gregory | ORLAND PARK | 57.6% | 453 | 261 | |
| Schwartz, Robert H | PEORIA | 57.6% | 415 | 239 | |
| Skidmore, David | CHICAGO | 57.0% | 314 | 179 | |
| Bruning, Janice M | OAK BROOK | 56.9% | 239 | 136 | |
| Herring, Virginia | OAK PARK | 56.6% | 316 | 179 | |
| Fuller, Roxanne | NHC CHICAGO | 56.3% | 174 | 98 | |
| Laskaris, Bill | CHICAGO | 56.2% | 377 | 212 | |
| Bassett, Lovert F | EVANSTON | 56.1% | 287 | 161 | |
| Woltering, Luke | ELKINS PARK | 54.8% | 219 | 120 | |
| Luker, Daniel | PEORIA | 54.8% | 429 | 235 | |
| Poulose, Mary Ann | NHC CHICAGO | 52.1% | 215 | 112 | |
| Johnson, Lana | EVANSTON | 51.9% | 349 | 181 | |
| Carey, Margaret A | CHICAGO | 51.7% | 315 | 163 | |
| Wilson, Shreese M | PEORIA | 51.6% | 124 | 64 | |
| Lewin, Lee | EVANSTON | 51.1% | 90 | 46 | |
| Bridges, Kathryn | NHC CHICAGO | 49.2% | 124 | 61 | |
| Sharrard, Anne | NHC CHICAGO | 48.4% | 159 | 77 | |
| Mellman, Nathan | CHICAGO | 46.2% | 325 | 150 | |
| Wood, John M | PEORIA | 46.0% | 337 | 155 | |
| Sayon, Karen | ORLAND PARK | 44.3% | 418 | 185 | |
| Inouye, Jessica | EVANSTON | 43.7% | 412 | 180 | |
| Garelick, Jordan | CHICAGO | 42.9% | 333 | 143 | |
| LaRoche Jr., Roy E | OAK PARK | 40.1% | 327 | 131 | |
| McKay, Patricia S | OAK PARK | 39.2% | 286 | 112 |
Showing the top 50 of 57 judges.
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