This page shows the disability approval rate of every Social Security administrative law judge (ALJ) at the NHC Chicago hearing office, using official SSA data for fiscal year 2026 through August 28, 2026. Use it to understand what to expect if your disability hearing has been assigned to one of these judges.

NHC Chicago hearing office at a glance

• Office approval rate: 54.6% (lower than the national average of 57.6%)
• Judges: 10 listed, 10 with decisions this period
• Decisions issued: 1,838 (852 fully favorable, 151 partially favorable, 835 denials)
• Total dispositions: 2,234 (including 396 dismissals)
• SSA region: 12

The highest approval rate at this office belongs to Richard Thrasher (85.7%); the lowest belongs to Thomas Sanzi (14.2%).

Approval rate by judge

Sorted from highest to lowest approval rate. “Difference” compares the judge to the 57.6% national average. Rates for judges with fewer than 50 decisions are marked as a small sample and should be read with caution.

How to read these numbers

Approval rate = (fully favorable + partially favorable decisions) ÷ total decisions. A fully favorable decision grants benefits from the date the claimant requested; a partially favorable decision grants benefits but with a later onset date or other limitation. Dismissals (for example, when a claimant withdraws or misses the hearing) are not decisions on the merits and are excluded from the rate.

A judge’s past approval rate is not a prediction for any individual case. Outcomes depend primarily on the medical evidence, the claimant’s work history, and how well the case is prepared and presented.

Frequently asked questions

What is the approval rate at the NHC Chicago Social Security hearing office?

In fiscal year 2026 through August 28, 2026, administrative law judges at the NHC Chicago hearing office approved 54.6% of the cases they decided (852 fully favorable and 151 partially favorable out of 1,838 decisions). The national average is 57.6%.

Which judge at the NHC Chicago hearing office has the highest approval rate?

Richard Thrasher had the highest approval rate at 85.7% across 98 decisions.

How many judges work at the NHC Chicago hearing office?

SSA lists 10 administrative law judges at the NHC Chicago hearing office, 10 of whom issued decisions during the reporting period.

Where does this data come from?

All figures come from the Social Security Administration's public ALJ Disposition Data report, reporting period ending August 28, 2026. Approval rate is calculated as fully favorable plus partially favorable decisions divided by total decisions; dismissals are excluded.

Source: Social Security Administration, ALJ Disposition Data, reporting period ending August 28, 2026 (report generated 09/22/2026). SSA updates this dataset monthly. Last updated on this site: October 13, 2026.