Who decides cases at this office
The panel in Livonia consists of 9 ALJs with a moderate spread in allowance rates, ranging from 42% to 65%. Because judges weigh evidence differently, the specific judge assigned to your case can influence the outcome. This variation is why your file must be robust enough to stand on its own merits regardless of the judge assigned.
| Rank | Judge | Approval Rate | Total Decisions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mary S. Connolly | 75% | 12,683 | |
| 2 | Dennis M. Matulewicz | 73% | 27,759 | |
| 3 | Ramona L. Fernandez | 68% | 25,724 | |
| 4 | Donald G. D'Amato | 64% | 31,991 | |
| 5 | Patrick J. MacLean | 63% | 18,133 | |
| 6 | David A. Mason | 62% | 200 | |
| 7 | Richard L. Sasena | 62% | 5,060 | |
| 8 | John Dodson | 62% | 17,139 | |
| 9 | David A. Mason Jr. | 62% | 18,660 | |
| 10 | Robert J. Chavez | 61% | 20,090 | |
| 11 | Sarah R. Smisek | 60% | 24,221 | |
| 12 | B. L. Blair | 59% | 11,844 | |
| 13 | Martha M. Gasparovich | 56% | 19,454 | |
| 14 | Anthony R. Smereka | 55% | 32,727 | |
| 15 | Christopher J. Mattia | 54% | 22,388 | |
| 16 | Henry Perez Jr. | 51% | 3,943 | |
| 17 | Allison Dietz | 47% | 21,969 | |
| 18 | Lauren G. Burstein | 46% | 22,228 |
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 Livonia, the average wait from hearing request to written decision is 7 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
Because hearings in Livonia move faster than the national norm, you must prioritize evidence submission early. Your hearing will typically involve an ALJ reviewing your file while a vocational expert testifies regarding your ability to perform work. You should bring an updated list of your medications, including side effects, and a detailed log of your daily activities. If you have new medical records since your last denial, ensure they are submitted well before the deadline. The ALJ will weigh your testimony alongside the expert's analysis, so consistency in your medical history is vital. A decision will arrive by mail after the proceedings conclude.
Hearings at this office come up quickly, leaving little room for error once your date is set. When a panel's allowance rates span 23 points, your file must be strong enough that no judge can dismiss it due to gaps in documentation. Preparing your evidence against the vocational expert's likely testimony is a standard way to ensure your case is ready for the hearing room.
Field offices that route cases here
If your hearing is at Livonia, 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.