Approval rates
Judge Anthony R. Smereka maintains a lifetime approval rate of 55% based on 27,199 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, this rate remains consistent at 55%, which is 2 percentage points below the Livonia MI office average and 3 points below the national average of 58%. These figures provide a statistical baseline for the judge's tenure over the last decade. 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 Smereka'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 10 years on the bench, Anthony R. Smereka has demonstrated a steady decision-making pattern. While yearly approval rates have fluctuated—ranging from a low of 44% in 2018 to a high of 62% in 2024—the overall trend reflects a consistent approach to evaluating your disability claim. The latest reporting period shows a 55% approval rate, aligning closely with the judge's long-term historical average. This stability suggests a predictable framework for how your evidence is weighed in the courtroom.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Smereka'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 Smereka? Free, confidential — see if you qualify for SSDI.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Livonia MI hearing office
The Livonia MI Hearing Office serves a significant population of claimants across Michigan, managing a high volume of disability hearings annually. The office currently maintains an approval rate of 57%, reflecting the regional trends in disability adjudication. You can expect a formal process focused on your medical evidence and vocational testimony. You can see the Livonia MI Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration assigns cases to you using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning your assignment is essentially random. Within the Livonia MI office, lifetime approval rates among the bench range from 54% to 73%. While this variance exists, the fundamental requirements for proving your disability remain the same regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
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.