Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR)

The Office of Disability Adjudication & Review or the ODAR is a branch of the Social Security Administration (SSA). The ODAR offices are headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia. The function of the ODAR is to schedule hearings for disability applicants who have appealed a disability denial at the reconsideration or application level.

The ODAR has ten regional offices and 169 hearing offices. There are 1,300 administrative law judges employed by the SSA who are also part of the ODAR. The ODAR is also responsible for the SSA's Appeals Council who reviews SSDI and SSI cases and decisions made by the Administrative Law Judges. On the Record Decision

Claimants may request an on the record review, which is a request made to the administrative law judge for a decision on their SSDI or SSI case without a hearing. If a claimant requests an on the record review the judge will base their decision on the written information that is provided to them prior to the hearing, There is no hearing if an on the record request is granted and the claimant is awarded benefits. This type of request is generally only requested if a disability lawyer believes the claimant has a very strong case and they wish to expedite the disability decision. If the administrative law judge receives your on the record request and believes there is enough evidence to determine you are disabled they will give you a favorable on the record decision. If, however, the judge decides not to grant benefits or to give an on the record decision, the case will proceed to a hearing. The good news is the on the record review, if it not favorable, does not result in a denial. The claimant will still have their day in court.