Approval rates
Judge Sasena's approval rate is evaluated against the latest performance data from the Livonia MI office and national benchmarks. With 4,242 lifetime decisions, the data provides a clear view of his adjudication history compared to the 57% office average and 58% national average. These figures help you understand the statistical environment of your upcoming hearing. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for individual hearings.
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 Sasena'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 his 2 years on the bench, Judge Sasena has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. His yearly approval rates remained steady, moving from 62% in 2016 to 61% in 2017. This stability suggests a predictable decision-making process. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern, providing a reliable baseline for understanding courtroom expectations.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Sasena'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 Sasena? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Livonia MI hearing office
The Livonia MI Hearing Office serves a significant volume of claimants throughout Michigan, operating with a bench of 6 judges. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 57%, which serves as a benchmark for the region. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on the verification of medical evidence and work history. You can visit the Livonia MI Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration utilizes a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is typically selected at random. Within the Livonia MI office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 55% to 73%. Because case assignment is outside of your control, focusing on the strength of your medical documentation is the most effective way to prepare. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
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.