Approval rates
Comparing a judge's performance requires looking at both their long-term history and recent trends. Judge Schallner has maintained a 57% approval rate over her 10-year tenure, based on 17,497 lifetime decisions. While her latest reporting period shows an approval rate of 66%, this should be viewed alongside the broader office average of 73% and the national average of 58%. These figures reflect historical trends rather than specific outcomes for your case.
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 Schallner'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 her decade on the bench, Judge Schallner has demonstrated an upward trend in her approval rates. Starting at 53% in 2016, the rate fluctuated before climbing to 69% in 2025. This pattern suggests an evolving approach to case evaluation that has become more favorable in recent years. The latest period reflects a continuation of this positive trajectory in her decision-making process.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Schallner'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 Schallner? 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 diverse bench of 6 judges, the office handles a significant caseload that reflects the regional demand for SSDI services. The office-wide latest approval rate of 73% provides context for the local environment where your hearing will take place. You can visit the Oklahoma City Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The SSA utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. Within the Oklahoma City Hearing Office, the bench consists of 6 judges whose lifetime approval rates range from 43% to 79%. This variance highlights why understanding the general environment of your hearing office is more important than focusing on any single peer. You can review the full office roster on the hearing office page.
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.