Approval rates
The approval rates for John Dawkins are evaluated against the performance of his peers at the Tampa OHO, as well as state and national averages, over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. These figures provide a statistical snapshot based on 410 decisions rendered during this window. By comparing these metrics, you can see how his decision-making frequency aligns with broader trends in the Social Security Administration hearing process.
SSA publishes no office- or national-level breakdown of fully favorable and denial rates. The 12 months are SSA's figures for this fiscal year to date plus the rest of the previous fiscal year; how we calculate them.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Dawkins's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Since April 2016, John Dawkins has issued 3,724 decisions. His yearly approval rate has fluctuated across his time on record. While his approval rate reached 57% in 2025, the most recent 12 months to July 31, 2026, show a rate of 55%. This recent performance sits above his overall record of 49% since 2016.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dawkins's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
About the Tampa OHO hearing office
The Tampa OHO is the judge's most recent office on record, with the last recorded decision occurring in July 2026. This office serves claimants across the Florida region and maintains a bench of 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this location. You can see the Tampa OHO Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Tampa OHO
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. At the Tampa OHO, the 11 judges who decided cases here in SSA's latest file range from 36% to 73% in their approval rates over the 12 months to July 31, 2026. There are 16 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 11 of them deciding cases here in SSA's latest file.
Judges with similar approval rates
These active judges' approval rates over the same 12 months (July 26, 2025 – July 31, 2026) are closest to Judge Dawkins's 55%. All five last decided cases in Florida.
- 56% Approval rate, last 12 months Janet Mahon
- 54% Approval rate, last 12 months Lisa Raleigh
- 57% Approval rate, last 12 months Shirley A. Marzan
- 52% Approval rate, last 12 months Bernard Porter
- 52% Approval rate, last 12 months Peter Kafkas
Rates within 5 points of each other are hard to tell apart at a typical caseload, so treat these as judges with comparable records, not a ranking. See Judge Dawkins and the three closest side by side →
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
Over the 12 months to July 31, 2026, John Dawkins approved 55% of cases. This compares to an office-wide range of 36% to 73% among the 11 judges who decided cases at the Tampa OHO in SSA's latest file. An attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of your hearing.
John Dawkins has an approval rate of 49% across 3,724 decisions since April 2016. His yearly rates have varied, with the most recent 12-month period showing a 55% approval rate. An attorney can help you evaluate your case strategy.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases. An attorney can help you prepare for your hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence in your file. You will likely testify about your symptoms and limitations, and a vocational expert may provide input on available work. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
