What happens at the ALJ hearing?

At the hearing, the applicant will usually testify under oath. Usually, the ALJ and the applicant’s attorney will ask questions of the applicant. These questions usually relate to the applicant’s age, education, work history, disabling medical conditions, medical treatment and testing, and activities of daily living. The applicant also has the right to present witnesses in support of the claim. Most ALJs will also rely on vocational experts who discuss the vocational aspects of the case, and sometimes they use medical experts as well. The hearing is very quick, usually lasting between 30 and 60 minutes (but it could take longer depending on the complexity of the case). Most applicants and representatives feel this is not enough time to adequately present a case. However, due to the large number of hearings on calendar, combined with the relatively few number of ALJs, the ALJs are unable to devote more time to each hearing.