Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. Jodi B. Levine's 70% approval rate since 2016 is evaluated against the 45% to 85% range of the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Oklahoma City. In the most recent reporting period, the 85% approval rate sits 14 points above the office average of 71%, 17 points above the state average of 68%, and 27 points above the national average of 58%.
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
Since January 2016, Jodi B. Levine has issued 3,463 decisions. The approval trend shows a period of relative stability followed by a notable upward shift in recent years. While the rate hovered between 63% and 72% from 2016 through 2023, the last two full years saw approval rates of 82% and 86% respectively. The latest period reflects a continuation of this recent pattern.
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.
About the Oklahoma City hearing office
The Oklahoma City hearing office serves you and other claimants across Oklahoma. With 17 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 71%. You can expect a formal administrative process where evidence quality remains the primary driver of your outcome.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Oklahoma City
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 17 judges whose most recent office on record is the Oklahoma City hearing office, and 11 of them decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench vary significantly, ranging from 45% to 85% on their since-2016 records.
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
Jodi B. Levine's 70% approval rate since 2016 falls within the 45% to 85% range observed among the 17 judges whose most recent office on record is Oklahoma City. An attorney can help you understand how to prepare your evidence for this specific bench.
Yes, the approval rate has trended upward in recent years. After maintaining a range of 63% to 72% between 2016 and 2023, the rate increased to 82% in 2024 and 86% in 2025. An attorney can help you evaluate how these trends might relate to your specific case.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
A hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical evidence and may hear testimony from you and vocational experts. Because the process is complex, an attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records.
Approval rates reflect past decisions and are not a prediction of your specific outcome. Your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well it meets the SSA's disability criteria. An attorney can help you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your claim.
