Approval rates
Over a decade on the bench, Judge LeBlanc has presided over 21,899 lifetime decisions. His current approval rate of 62% is compared against the Tulsa OHO office average of 64% and the national average of 58%. These statistics provide a broad view of his decision-making history, though they are not a guarantee of how he will rule on your specific medical evidence. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 LeBlanc'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
Judge LeBlanc's career shows a varied trend, with approval rates fluctuating between a low of 49% in 2020 and a high of 63% in 2023. Having served for 10 years, his decision-making has evolved, with the most recent period showing a 62% approval rate. This recent uptick suggests a shift in his current approach compared to his earlier career averages. These patterns reflect the complexity of the cases he reviews and the evolving nature of disability evidence.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge LeBlanc'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 LeBlanc? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Tulsa Oho hearing office
The Tulsa OHO serves you and other claimants across Oklahoma, managing a significant volume of disability hearings. The office maintains an office-wide approval rate that reflects the regional caseload and the diverse medical conditions presented by local claimants. You can expect a formal process focused on the specific requirements of the Social Security Act. See the Tulsa OHO Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to Judge LeBlanc is essentially random. Within the Tulsa OHO, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 56% to 63%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is important to focus on the strength of your medical documentation. The guidance for your preparation remains consistent regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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.