Approval rates
Evaluating a judge's record requires looking at both their long-term history and recent activity. Kenton W. Fulton maintains a 61% lifetime approval rate, which sits within the 45% to 85% range observed across the Oklahoma City bench. In the most recent reporting period, the judge recorded a 70% approval rate, performing 1 percentage point below the office average of 71%.
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 Fulton'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 2016, Kenton W. Fulton has issued 3,076 decisions. The yearly approval trend shows a period of fluctuation followed by a rise in recent years, with the approval rate climbing from 54% in 2021 to 70% in the latest reporting period. This recent performance indicates a shift toward higher approval outcomes compared to the historical average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Fulton'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 Oklahoma City hearing office
The Oklahoma City hearing office serves claimants throughout the region, managing a diverse caseload of disability applications. The office bench consists of 17 judges on record, maintaining an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 71%. You can see the Oklahoma City Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is effectively random. There are 17 judges on record at this office since 2016, 11 of whom reported in SSA's latest period. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, spanning from 45% to 85% on a lifetime basis.
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
Kenton W. Fulton's lifetime approval rate of 61% falls within the broad 45% to 85% range seen across the Oklahoma City office. While every judge has a unique decision-making style, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards expected at this office.
Yes, the data shows a clear trend. After an approval rate of 54% in 2021, the rate has trended upward, reaching 70% in the most recent reporting period. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot control your assignment, working with an attorney can help you prepare for the hearing regardless of which judge is assigned.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions and not a guarantee of your outcome. Your success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well your limitations are documented. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is ready for the judge's review.