Approval rates
When evaluating your hearing prospects, it is helpful to compare this judge's performance against the broader bench. The 51% approval rate on record since 2016 provides a baseline, while the latest-period approval rate of 49% offers a view of more recent activity. These figures are supported by 3,395 decisions on record. 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, your approval rate for Peter Kafkas has shown a varied trend, moving from 44% in 2017 to a peak of 59% in 2025 before settling at 49% in the most recent partial fiscal year. With 3,395 total decisions on record, the data reflects a judge who has navigated shifting case volumes over the last decade. The latest period's 49% approval rate shows a slight divergence from the long-term average, which may reflect changes in the local case mix or evidence quality.
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 is the most recent office on record for Peter Kafkas, with the last recorded decision there in July 2026. This office maintains a bench of 17 judges who handle a high volume of disability claims. The office-wide latest-period approval rate is 63%, providing a local benchmark for the area.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is St Petersburg Fl OHO
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your specific judge is essentially chosen at random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 5 of them having decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench range from 35% to 85% on their since-2016 records. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Peter Kafkas has an approval rate of 51% since 2016, which sits within the 35% to 85% range of the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this one. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
Yes, the approval rate for Peter Kafkas has fluctuated over time, starting at 44% in 2017 and reaching 59% in 2025, before recording 49% in the most recent partial fiscal year. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to the specific evidence in your claim.
No, the Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. You cannot choose your judge, but a qualified attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of a hearing at the St Petersburg FL OHO.
A hearing is a formal proceeding where an ALJ reviews the evidence of your disability. You will likely testify about your limitations, and the judge may call a vocational expert to discuss your ability to work. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records for the hearing.
The 51% approval rate on record for Peter Kafkas represents a probability cloud from past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and your testimony. An attorney can help you build a strong case to address the specific standards of this judge.
