Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at consistent data periods. While Michael L. Harris maintains an 80% lifetime approval rate, recent data shows an 88% approval rate in the latest reporting period. This latest-period figure sits 17 points above the Oklahoma City office average of 71%, 20 points above the state average of 68%, and 30 points above the national average of 58%. These figures are derived from a robust docket of 4,095 lifetime decisions.
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 Harris'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
The decision pattern for Michael L. Harris shows a steady trajectory since 2016. After fluctuating between 74% and 82% in the earlier years of the record, the approval rate has shown a recent upward trend, reaching 88% in the most recent reporting period. This latest-period performance represents a continuation of a long-term tendency to approve a high volume of claims.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Harris'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.
Reading this because a claim was denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
About the Oklahoma City hearing office
The Oklahoma City hearing office serves you throughout the region. With 17 judges on record, this office maintains an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 71%. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can see the /disability-benefits/hearing-offices/oklahoma-city-OK Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges on record at this office since 2016, 11 of whom reported in the latest period. These judges exhibit a wide range of lifetime approval rates, spanning from 45% to 85%.
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
Michael L. Harris has a lifetime approval rate of 80%, which sits within the office-wide range of 45% to 85%. In the latest reporting period, Michael L. Harris approved 88% of cases, which is 17 percentage points higher than the office-wide latest-period average of 71%. An attorney can help you prepare your case for this specific bench.
Yes, the approval rate for Michael L. Harris has evolved since 2016. While the rate was 74% in 2016, it has trended upward in recent years, reaching 88% in 2026. Understanding these trends is part of how an attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Because assignment is random, it is vital to have an attorney who can help you prepare for any judge.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a guarantee of how Michael L. Harris will rule on your specific claim. Your outcome depends primarily on the medical evidence and vocational testimony you provide. An attorney can help you ensure your evidence is ready for your hearing.