Approval rates
The approval rates for Peter Kafkas reflect a career-long record of 51% across 3,395 total decisions. In the latest reporting period, his 49% approval rate sits 14 points below the St Petersburg FL OHO office average of 63%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding his historical decision-making patterns. 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 Kafkas'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, the decision pattern for Peter Kafkas has shown yearly fluctuations. After a period of lower approval rates in the early years of the record, the trend moved toward a more consistent mid-range frequency, reaching 59% in 2025 before shifting to 49% in the most recent reporting period. This latest data point represents a return toward his lifetime average of 51%. The recent shift may reflect changes in case mix or evidence quality presented at your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kafkas'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 St Petersburg Fl OHO hearing office
The St Petersburg FL OHO serves you across the Florida region, managing a diverse caseload of disability applications. With 17 judges on record, this office maintains an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 63%. You can expect a formal hearing process where your evidence and medical documentation are reviewed to determine your eligibility. You can see the St Petersburg FL OHO Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases through a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges on record at this office since 2016, 5 of whom reported in the latest period. The lifetime approval rates for these judges range from 35% to 85%, highlighting the variance found across the office's bench. You can find the full ALJ roster on the St Petersburg FL OHO hearing office page.
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
In the latest reporting period, Peter Kafkas had an approval rate of 49%, which is 14 percentage points lower than the office-wide average of 63%. Because approval rates vary significantly across the 17 judges on record at this office, an attorney can help you prepare a case tailored to the specific evidentiary standards of this hearing office.
Yes, the approval rate for Peter Kafkas has fluctuated over his 3,395 decisions on record since 2016. While he reached a 59% approval rate in 2025, the most recent data shows a rate of 49%. 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 uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, making the assignment process random. Regardless of the judge, an attorney can help you organize your medical records to ensure your case is ready for the hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews your medical evidence and hears your testimony. You will likely be asked about your work history and how your impairments prevent you from performing substantial gainful activity. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and ensure your evidence meets the requirements of the Social Security Act.