Approval rates
Judge Levine maintains a lifetime approval rate of 68%, a figure derived from a docket of 20,193 decisions over a decade of service. In the latest reporting period, the judge reached an 86% approval rate, demonstrating that individual hearing outcomes fluctuate based on the specific evidence you present. These figures provide a benchmark for understanding the judge's history relative to the Oklahoma City Hearing Office average of 73%. Aggregate rates describe past decisions rather than predicting your individual hearing outcome.
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 Levine'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 Levine has demonstrated an upward trend in approval rates. Starting at 65% in 2016, the rate has climbed to 85% in 2025. This pattern suggests a consistent approach to evaluating disability claims, with the most recent period showing an increase compared to the lifetime average. This recent uptick may reflect changes in case mix or the quality of evidence presented in recent hearings.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Levine'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 Levine? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Oklahoma City hearing office
The Oklahoma City Hearing Office serves a broad population across Oklahoma, managing a high volume of disability claims with a team of 6 administrative law judges. The office currently maintains an average approval rate of 73%, which is higher than the national average of 58%. If you are appearing here, you should be prepared for a thorough review of your medical records and vocational history.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your assignment to a specific judge is essentially random. Within the Oklahoma City Hearing Office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 43% to 79%. Because you cannot choose your judge, it is vital to focus on the strength of your medical documentation. You can visit the Oklahoma City Hearing Office page to view the full roster of judges.
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.