Who decides cases at this office
The panel at this office consists of 17 judges with an allowance-rate spread ranging from 44% to 86%. Because outcomes vary significantly depending on which judge is assigned to your case, your file must be robust enough to stand on its own merits. Judges are assigned randomly, and each weighs evidence differently, so thorough preparation is your best defense against this inherent uncertainty.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trace Baldwin | 86% | 12,509 | |
| 2 | Michael L. Harris | 79% | 28,425 | |
| 3 | Sylke Merchan | 69% | 21,372 | |
| 4 | Steven L. Cravens | 68% | 24,275 | |
| 5 | Jodi B. Levine | 68% | 24,014 | |
| 6 | Douglas S. Stults | 67% | 30,914 | |
| 7 | Susan W. Conyers | 65% | 16,385 | |
| 8 | Kim D. Parrish | 63% | 33,357 | |
| 9 | Kenton W. Fulton | 60% | 21,765 | |
| 10 | Angelita Hamilton | 58% | 24,268 | |
| 11 | Sherry L. Schallner | 57% | 21,874 | |
| 12 | James Linehan | 54% | 25,074 | |
| 13 | Jennie L. McLean | 53% | 13,940 | |
| 14 | J. Dell Gordon | 51% | 11,981 | |
| 15 | Carol K. Bowen | 49% | 28,064 | |
| 16 | Edward L. Thompson | 45% | 27,627 | |
| 17 | Larry D. Shepherd | 43% | 28,345 |
Former & transferred judges
SSA rosters change as judges retire, transfer, or move to national assignments. These judges previously decided Social Security disability cases from this location but are not on the current roster. Their full public decision records are on their profiles.
How long you'll wait
At Oklahoma City, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 10 months— versus a national average of 8 months. Here's how it's tracked month by month over the past 16 months.
Your odds change dramatically 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.
Going to your hearing
Your hearing is a proceeding where an Administrative Law Judge will review your claim. Because the wait in Oklahoma City is 9.5 months, you have a window to strengthen your file. You must submit all updated medical records, medication lists, and daily-activity logs well before the evidence-submission deadline. During the hearing, a Vocational Expert will typically testify about whether jobs exist that fit your specific physical or mental limitations. You will have the opportunity to question this expert. A favorable decision is rarely immediate; you will generally receive the ruling by mail after the hearing concludes.
When a panel's allowance rates span over 40 points, your file must be strong enough that no judge can dismiss it due to gaps in documentation. While the high office-wide approval rate is positive, you may find it difficult to counter the testimony of the vocational expert without professional guidance. A well-prepared case helps you navigate the differences in how individual judges weigh evidence.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Oklahoma City, your case originated at one of the SSA field offices below — the local intake counter where you (or a representative) filed the initial application. Field offices don't decide hearings, but they hold your file, issue benefit-payment notices, and field the day-to-day questions during your wait.