Oklahoma City Hearing Office - ALJ Approval Rates & Wait Times
Oklahoma · SSA Region 06
Approval Rate
72.4%
vs 57.6% national
Wait Time
8 months
vs 8.4 months national
Processing Time
259 days
avg days to decision
Cases Pending
3,512
awaiting hearing
ALJs
12
active judges
Oklahoma City ALJ Approval Rates and Decision Statistics
Individual judge statistics for 12 months ending July 2026. Click any judge to see detailed performance data.
| Judge | Approval Rate | Denial Rate | Fully Favorable | Total Decisions | Dispositions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cindy Martin | 100% | N/A | 66.7% | 3 | 3 |
| Michael L Harris | 89% | 11% | 84% | 418 | 483 |
| Jodi Levine | 86.4% | 13.6% | 82.1% | 184 | 220 |
| Douglas Stults | 81.8% | 18.2% | 80.5% | 411 | 538 |
| Sylke Merchan | 78.9% | 21.1% | 73.4% | 289 | 384 |
| Kenton W. Fulton | 72% | 28% | 65.9% | 132 | 161 |
| Angelita Hamilton | 70.2% | 29.8% | 66.3% | 389 | 477 |
| Kim Parrish | 69.2% | 30.8% | 66.4% | 455 | 526 |
| Steven L. Cravens | 67.6% | 32.4% | 61.5% | 275 | 321 |
| Sherry Schallner | 65.8% | 34.2% | 60.8% | 395 | 458 |
| Christopher Hunt | 56.9% | 43.1% | 52.3% | 153 | 186 |
| Larry Shepherd | 53% | 47% | 50.2% | 438 | 522 |
Former Judges at Oklahoma City
These judges have no recorded decisions at Oklahoma City in the 12 months ending July 2026. Figures below cover each judge's own last twelve reported months, ending in the month shown.
| Judge | Last Decisions Reported | Approval Rate | Total Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edward L. Thompson | February 2025 | 46.3% | 294 |
| Jennie L. McLean | December 2024 | 76.3% | 152 |
Approval rates here cover each judge's own trailing window ending in the month shown, so they are not directly comparable with the current roster above or with national figures.
About the Oklahoma City Social Security Hearing Office
The Oklahoma City hearing office is part of the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearings Operations in Oklahoma. This office is in SSA Region 06 and currently has 12 administrative law judges who hear disability appeals. With 12 ALJs, this is one of the larger hearing offices in the system, handling a substantial volume of disability cases each fiscal year.
The office's average approval rate is 72.4%, which is above the national average of 57.6%. This higher-than-average rate reflects the combined decision patterns of all judges at this office. Individual judge approval rates at this office range from 53% to 100%, a 47-point spread that reflects significant variation in decision patterns among judges.
The current average wait time for a hearing at this office is 8 months, which is comparable to the national average of 8.4 months. Once a hearing takes place, this office issues decisions in an average of 259 days. There are currently 3,512 cases pending at this office. That works out to approximately 293 pending cases per judge.
Across the judges at this office, the average fully favorable rate is 67.5%. A fully favorable decision means the claimant receives benefits from the onset date they requested, as opposed to a partially favorable decision which may award benefits from a later date.
How to Interpret Oklahoma City Hearing Office Data
Given the significant variation in decision patterns among judges at Oklahoma City, thorough case preparation is especially important. Since judge assignments are rotational, the specific ALJ assigned to a case is not known in advance — ensuring medical evidence and vocational documentation are comprehensive can help regardless of which judge presides.
With an average wait time of 8 months and 259 days average processing time, claimants at Oklahoma City can expect a total timeline of roughly 17 months from hearing request to decision.
Judges at Oklahoma City have collectively issued 3,542 decisions in the current fiscal year, averaging 295 decisions per judge. Individual caseloads range from 3 to 455 decisions, reflecting differences in hearing schedules and case complexity.
Oklahoma City Hearing Office FAQ
What are my chances of approval at Oklahoma City?
Individual judges at this office have rates ranging from 53% to 100%. Of approved cases, the average fully favorable rate across judges at this office is 67.5%. The national average approval rate is 57.6%.
Who are the Administrative Law Judges at Oklahoma City?
How long do disability cases take at Oklahoma City?
From hearing request to decision, the total timeline at this office averages approximately 17 months. Wait times are snapshots from the most recent SSA data release and can shift as caseloads, staffing, and scheduling capacity change.
How is office data calculated?
What percentage of approvals at Oklahoma City are fully favorable?
How does Oklahoma City rank among other hearing offices in the state?
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