Secret Assignment of Social Security Judges

The Social Security Administration instituted a new policy in Summer 2011 in which the name of the Social Security Administrative Law Judge assigned to your case is withheld until the day of the hearing. This is new policy has made it difficult for Social Security Disability claimants and their attorneys to properly prepare their clients for a hearing.

How so? Each Administrative Law Judge has:

1. Their own way of conducting a hearing
2. Their own way of viewing the evidence. Some Administrative Law Judges like Memorandums of Law before hearing while others want opening statements.

This new policy is being investigated by the Department of Justice and we will keep you advised as to whether or not the identity of the Administrative Law Judge will be held secret. We are hoping with the appointment of a new Social Security administrative process, the policy will be overturned.