The Quality of Baltimore Social Security Judges

Great news if you have a Baltimore Social Security Disability Hearing! The Social Security Hearing Office in Baltimore has some of the best judges in the nation and is run better than most hearing offices in the country. That being said, many people still have bad experiences in Baltimore because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. I believe the judges there are doing the best they can and I admire their leadership. Do they get decisions wrong sometimes? Of course, they are human. But I really don’t see any biases that I would complain about.

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Social Security Disability or SSI hearing scheduled in the Baltimore Maryland Office of Hearing Operations (OHO)? You’re not alone, most of my clients desperately want to know every detail of the Judge that is hearing their case. Here are all the judges’ statistics and my take as a Baltimore Social Security Disability Lawyer. We are based in Baltimore but serve clients all over the country.

The following table is up to date as of September 2024:

Does the Judge I get make a difference in my end result? 

Yes and no. Yes if your medical situation is complex, as in you have many moderate medical issues with the symptoms open to different interpretations. Often one judge will see you as disabled but another will not. It’s hard to predict. No, the judge will likely not matter if you have one very serious medical condition or are aged 55 or over. In that case, it’s relatively easy to predict whether you will win or lose. If you’d like to talk about you hearing or need representation contact Baltimore Social Security Disability Lawyer Emmett B. Irwin by clicking here.

Can I change Judges if I get a bad judge assigned to my case?

No, unfortunately for you if you get a bad one but fortunately for fairness. You’re stuck with the judge you’re assigned unless something really rare happens. Such as: the judge gets sick, or a scheduling conflict, or you’ve overturned previous decisions of that judge twice or more (in the same matter). 

What should I do if I need help with my hearing?

If you do not have a lawyer yet, often the ALJ presiding over your case will give you a postponement to try to get a lawyer. The truth is that you probably do need an attorney. These hearings are very difficult without a lawyer, and the ALJs rarely get the evidence they need unless a lawyer is involved. If you need a lawyer, no matter what stage your case is in, contact Baltimore Social Security Disability Lawyer Emmett B. Irwin and we will evaluate your case for free. Although our main office is located in Baltimore, Maryland, we serve clients up and down the East Coast.