Approval rates
Judge Kim maintains a lifetime approval rate of 50% based on a docket of 23,320 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate was 48%, which is 15 percentage points lower than the Dallas North OHO office average of 65% and 8 points below the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for understanding how cases have been decided in his courtroom.
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 Kim'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 a decade on the bench, Judge Kim has seen his approval rates shift. After starting with higher approval rates in 2016 and 2017, the data shows a decline in subsequent years, reaching 39% in 2024 before a recovery to 48% in 2025. This pattern reflects the evolving nature of the cases presented in his courtroom.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Kim'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 Kim? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Dallas North Oho hearing office
The Dallas North OHO serves a large population across the Texas region, managing a high volume of disability claims. With a bench of 5 judges, the office maintains an active docket that requires consistent case management. You can expect a formal process where the quality of your documentation is paramount to a successful outcome.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to judges using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the assignment process is random. At the Dallas North OHO, the office's 5 ALJs range from 24% to 88% in lifetime approval rates. Because you cannot choose your judge, focus on the strength of your medical evidence and testimony.
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.