Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes. While Anthony R. Smereka has a 54% approval rate since 2016, his latest-period approval rate is 56%. This sits 2 percentage points below the Livonia MI office latest-period average of 58%. With 4,536 decisions on record, the data provides a view of his decision-making history. These figures reflect past outcomes rather than a guarantee for your 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
Since January 2016, Anthony R. Smereka has issued 4,536 decisions. His yearly approval trend has fluctuated, showing a low of 42% in 2018 and a high of 61% in 2024. The latest period shows a 56% approval rate, which is consistent with his overall average on record. This pattern suggests that while individual years vary, his approach remains grounded in the evidence presented in each case.
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.
About the Livonia MI hearing office
The Livonia MI hearing office serves you and other claimants across the region. With 18 judges whose most recent office on record is this location, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 58%. You can expect a standard administrative process focused on your medical and vocational evidence.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Livonia MI
The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 18 judges whose most recent office on record is the Livonia MI office. Approval rates for this bench range from 44% to 74% on their records since 2016. Your preparation remains 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
Anthony R. Smereka has a 54% approval rate on record since 2016. Among the 18 judges whose most recent office on record is Livonia MI, approval rates range from 44% to 74%. An attorney can help you understand how your specific evidence aligns with these patterns.
His approval rate has seen yearly variance, ranging from 42% in 2018 to 61% in 2024. Despite these annual shifts, his 56% approval rate in the latest period remains close to his 54% average since 2016. A qualified attorney can help you evaluate how these trends might relate to your case.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases randomly to ensure efficiency. Because you cannot select your judge, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence is the most effective way to prepare.
An SSDI hearing is a formal but non-adversarial proceeding where a judge reviews your medical records and hears testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. Having an attorney can help you prepare for the specific questions you are likely to face.
An approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions and is not a prediction of your outcome. Anthony R. Smereka's 54% rate since 2016 is one data point, but your case's success depends primarily on the quality of your medical evidence. An attorney can help you build a case that addresses the specific requirements of the hearing.
