Information About Social Security's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review

The Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) is responsible for holding hearings and issuing decisions as part of the Social Security Administration's process for determining whether or not a person may receive benefits.

ODAR directs a nationwide field organization staffed with Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) who conduct impartial "de novo" hearings and make decisions on appealed determinations involving retirement, survivors, disability, and supplemental security income. Through the Appeals Council, ODAR also reviews ALJ decisions on appeal by claimants or on its own motion and issues the final agency decision on such cases.

ODAR is one of the largest administrative adjudicative systems in the world. Within ODAR, more than 1,100 Administrative Law Judges enter over 500,000 decisions at the hearing level. At the last decisional level, the Appeals Council renders the Agency's final decision.

The Agency official responsible for the administration of this enormous adjudicative system is David V. Foster, the Deputy Commissioner for Disability Adjudication and Review. ODAR is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia. ODAR includes the following component offices.

Office of the Deputy Commissioner: The Office of the Deputy Commissioner administers the nationwide Disability Adjudication and Review program for the Social Security Administration. The immediate Office of the Deputy Commissioner includes the Program Analysis Staff, which advises the Deputy Commissioner on regulations, proposals for legislation, and program policy matters, and manages the communicating of policy through the Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law Manual (HALLEX).

Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge: The Chief Administrative Law Judge is the principal consultant and advisor to the Deputy Commissioner on all matters concerning the ALJ hearing process and all field operations. The Chief ALJ manages and administers the hearing organization consisting of ten regional offices, 141 hearing offices, and five satellite offices.

Office of Appellate Operations: The Office of Appellate Operations consists of the Appeals Council and its support staff. The Executive Director of the Office of Appellate Operations also serves as the Deputy Chair of the Appeals Council and is a key advisor to the Deputy Commissioner on program operations matters, adjudicative trends at both the administrative appeals and court levels and related ODAR functions.

Office of Management: The Office of Management provides administrative support to the Deputy Commissioner for all management related activities for ODAR, which include organizing, planning, budgeting, and managing human and material resources. The Office of Management provides administrative support services to enable ODAR to carry out its nationwide program.