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Hearings and Appeals
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Information About Social Security's Hearings and Appeals Process

How to...

Request a Hearing
Request Appeals Council Review
Locate a Hearing Office
File an Unfair Hearing Complaint
Submit a Proposed Decision to an ALJ Using FIT

Today's ODAR

About the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR)
Why You Should Have Your Hearing By Video
Hearing Office Locator
View Map of the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review  [View.pdf]  Get Accessible Adobe Acrobat Reader   Text version of ODAR's Map
Best Practices for Claimants' Representatives
Findings Integrated Templates (FIT) Download for Representatives  
Job Opportunities
Legal Career Opportunities

Frequently Asked Questions

Hearing & Appeals Process
Video Hearings

Resources

Electronic Disability Guide (eDG)
Social Security Handbook
Policy/Research
Disability Programs
Program/Actuarial Data
Social Security Law, Regulations and Rules
SSA Advisory Board
Facts and Figures
The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) administrative appeals operation, under the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) is one of the largest administrative judicial systems in the world. SSA issues more than half a million hearing and appeal dispositions each year. Administrative law judges (ALJ) conduct hearings and issue decisions. The Appeals Council considers appeals from hearing decisions, and acts as the final level of administrative review for the agency.

Choose below to obtain detailed information about the Hearings and Appeals  processes and the Federal Court Review process.

Hearings and Appeals Link to information about the hearing process. Link to information about the Appeals Process
Link to information about the Court process.

Now Available:

Hearings Backlog Reduction Update Fiscal Year 2009, Fourth Quarter through September (Posted:12/02/2009)    Archive
Public Use Files Contains publicly available data files on workload indicators within ODAR's hearing offices.
(Date Posted: 01/20/2010)

Did You Know...

You have the right to question Social Security's decision on your case?


Hearing Backlog Initiatives Archive

Plan to Eliminate the Hearing Backlog and Prevent Its Recurrence
    Annual Report-FY 2008  [View.pdf]   Get Accessible Adobe Acrobat Reader
Social Security Administration Attacks Disability Backlog - October 9, 2007 Press Release
Plan to Reduce the Hearings Backlog and Improve Public Service at the Social Security Administration  [View.pdf]   Get Accessible Adobe Acrobat Reader
Testimony of Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, before the Senate Finance Committee on SSA's plans to reduce Disability backlogs
Summary of Initiatives to Eliminate the SSA Hearing Backlog - Addendum

Information about Representation
Information For You
Representing Claimants
Best Practices for Claimants' Representatives



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Last reviewed or modified Thursday Mar 04, 2010
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