Approval rates
Understanding your judge's history provides context for your upcoming hearing. Judge Dexter has maintained a 65% lifetime approval rate over 10 years on the bench, which currently trends above the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a substantial docket of 25,704 lifetime decisions, providing a clear statistical baseline. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Dexter'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
Over a decade of service, Judge Dexter has shown a consistent approach to disability claims. While the approval rate fluctuated in the early years, the trend has shown a notable upward trajectory in the most recent reporting periods, reaching 76% in 2025. This recent activity represents a shift from the lifetime average, potentially reflecting changes in the types of cases or the quality of evidence presented. This pattern suggests a judge who remains responsive to the specific medical documentation you provide.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Dexter'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.
Hearing with Judge Dexter? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Tulsa Oho hearing office
The Tulsa Hearing Office serves a broad population across Oklahoma, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 6 ALJs, the office maintains an environment where caseloads are distributed to ensure efficient processing. You can expect a professional atmosphere focused on the thorough review of your medical records and testimony. You can view the full ALJ roster on the Tulsa Hearing Office page.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge Dexter is essentially random. Within the Tulsa Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 38% to 81%. This variance highlights why your specific medical evidence is the most critical factor in your hearing. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.