Approval rates
Understanding how your judge compares to their peers provides helpful context for your hearing. Jason Panek has a lifetime approval rate of 43%, which sits within the 43% to 80% range observed across the Akron OH bench. In the most recent reporting period, his 50% approval rate is 3 points lower than the office average of 53%. These figures are based on a significant volume of cases, providing a stable look at his decision history. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
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 Panek'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 2017, Jason Panek has issued 3,053 decisions. His approval rate has fluctuated over the years, showing a period of decline followed by a more recent upward trend. After reaching a low point in 2021, the approval rate has climbed, reaching 50% in the latest reporting period. This recent shift reflects a departure from his earlier, lower-approval years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Panek'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 Akron OH hearing office
The Akron OH hearing office serves you across the region, managing a diverse caseload of disability applications. With a bench of 13 judges on record, the office maintains an office-wide latest approval rate of 53%. You can expect a formal administrative process focused on the medical and vocational evidence presented in your file. You can see the Akron OH 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 a specific judge is essentially random. There are 13 judges on record at this office since 2016, 7 of whom reported in the latest SSA period. Approval rates among these peers vary widely, ranging from 43% to 80% over their respective careers. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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
Jason Panek has a lifetime approval rate of 43%, which is at the lower end of the 43% to 80% range seen among the 13 judges on record at the Akron OH office. While his latest-period rate of 50% is slightly below the office average of 53%, an attorney can help you prepare a case that addresses the specific evidentiary standards this judge expects.
Yes, the data shows a clear trend. After an approval rate of 55% in 2018, the numbers dipped to a low of 36% in 2021 before trending upward again. His most recent approval rate of 50% in 2026 indicates a shift in his decision-making pattern compared to his mid-career period.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency across hearing offices. Because you cannot influence this assignment, it is important to work with an attorney who can help you build a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You, your attorney, and often a vocational expert will discuss your work history and physical or mental limitations. Having an attorney can help you organize your evidence and prepare for the specific questions Jason Panek may ask.
A judge's approval rate is a reflection of past decisions, not a guarantee of how they will rule on your specific claim. While Jason Panek's 43% lifetime approval rate provides context, the outcome of your hearing depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you ensure your case is as strong as possible before you appear.