Approval rates
Judge Kenyon's approval rate is calculated from a significant docket of 25,063 lifetime decisions. Comparing his recent 51% approval rate against the Dayton office average of 70% and the national average of 58% provides a broader view of his current decision-making environment. These figures offer a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been resolved in his courtroom over the last decade.
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 Kenyon'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 10 years on the bench, Judge Kenyon has seen his approval rates fluctuate, starting at 40% in 2016 and reaching 51% in 2025. This trend shows a steady, non-linear pattern of decision-making that has remained within a consistent range throughout his career. The latest period reflects a continuation of this stable pattern, suggesting that his approach to evaluating evidence remains grounded in his long-term judicial philosophy.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kenyon'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 Kenyon? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Dayton hearing office
The Dayton Hearing Office serves a large population across Ohio, managing a high volume of disability claims with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently reports an approval rate of 70%, which is higher than both the state and national averages. You can expect a rigorous review process where your evidence quality is the primary driver of the final decision. You can visit the Dayton 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 your assignment to Judge Kenyon is essentially random. Across the Dayton office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 44% to 68%. Because each judge brings a unique perspective to the hearing room, understanding the office-wide environment is as important as looking at one individual.
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.