Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While the office-wide latest-period approval rate is 63%, Jason P. Tepley's latest-period rate is 57%, placing him 6 points below that office benchmark. These figures are derived from a significant volume of decisions, providing a statistical foundation for understanding the local hearing environment. 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 Tepley'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 2023, Jason P. Tepley has issued 1,313 decisions on record. The yearly trend shows a fluctuating pattern, with approval rates moving from 52% in 2023 to 53% in 2024, followed by 44% in 2025 and 57% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. This latest period reflects a continuation of this variable pattern.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Tepley'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 Columbus hearing office
Jason P. Tepley's most recent office on record is the Columbus hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants throughout Ohio and the surrounding region, maintaining a bench of 17 judges. With an office-wide latest-period approval rate of 63%, you can expect a rigorous review of your medical and vocational evidence. See the Columbus Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Columbus
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 this one, 6 of whom decided cases here in the latest file through July 2026. Approval rates across this bench range from 34% to 83% on their records. 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 P. Tepley's latest-period approval rate of 57% is 6 points lower than the 63% average for the Columbus office. Because case assignment is random, you cannot choose your judge, but an attorney can help you prepare for the specific requirements of this hearing office.
Yes, the rate has fluctuated over time. After an approval rate of 52% in 2023 and 53% in 2024, the rate shifted to 44% in 2025 before rising to 57% in the partial 2026 fiscal year. An attorney can help you understand how these trends might relate to your specific case evidence.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases to ensure efficiency. An attorney can help you prepare a strong case regardless of which judge is assigned to your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned about your work history and daily limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical evidence.
An approval rate is a probability cloud based on past decisions, not a prediction for your specific hearing. Your outcome depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence and how well you document your disability. An attorney can help you ensure your case is fully prepared.
