On October 17, 2000, the San Jose Mercury News published a statistical analysis of the decisions of each Immigration Judge in the U.S. comparing their grant rates on requests for asylum. Using the Freedom of Information Act, they obtained a 1,134-page printout of a table from the Justice Department. DMR Associates of Springfield, Virginia analyzed the data.

Enclosed is the ranking sheet developed by DMR Associates. The score is based on the differences between judges' percentage of cases granted for each country they considered, and the median percentage of cases granted by all judges for each of those countries. After the differences were calculated, they were split into positive and negative quintiles, depending on whether they fell above or below the median. If a judge's percentage for a particular country matched the median, he or she was assigned a 0 for that country. Each judge's quintiled rankings for all countries he or she considered were summed to derive individual scores.

Judge Lisa Dornell of Baltimore, Maryland who granted slightly more than 50% of the 817 Requests for Asylum which she decided was ranked by the newspaper as the "Most Lenient Judge" in the U.S. with a score of 97. On the other side of the spectrum is Judge William A Cassidy of Atlanta, rated the "Strictest Judge" in the U.S. with only 66 granted asylum cases out of the 3722 he considered. He was given a score of -63.

(As a former INS Trial Attorney, I caution readers against taking these "scores" too literally. First, the newspaper needs to explain why those judges who have never granted a Request for Asylum are not ranked among the strictest judges. Second, it is important to remember that the scores are based solely upon Requests for Asylum. Immigration Judges rule upon various applications for relief including suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, waivers, voluntary departure, and contested deportation/removal cases. I have received favorable results from a number of judges listed on the "Ten Strictest Judges" list including a suspension of deportation case in which I appeared before Judge Cassidy in Atlanta. I did not find Judge Cassidy to be more "strict" than his fellow judges in other parts of the country.)

Judge	City	Score	Ranking	Cases Granted	Cases Decided
Bryant, John Milo	Arlington	-6	139	284	1033
Churchill, Joan V.	Arlington	-28	200	200	1413
Grant, Christopher M.	Arlington	17	58	116	419
Iskra, Wayne	Arlington	0	104	274	1376
Nejelski, Paul A.	Arlington	46	21	245	686
Cassidy, William A.	Atlanta	-63	224	66	3722
Rast, G. Mackenzie	Atlanta	-46	219	29	1351
Barrett, Bruce M.	Baltimore	17	58	297	1148
Dornell, Lisa	Baltimore	97	1	418	817
Gossart, John F. Jr.	Baltimore	31	37	300	1146
Greene, William P. Jr	Baltimore	71	5	274	692
Dierkes, Joseph	Bloomington	-11	157	86	321
D'Ambrosio, Billino W	Boston	-25	192	24	388
Joyce, William	Boston	10	72	35	148
Klein, Eliza C.	Boston	44	22	122	474
Ragno, Thomas M.	Boston	-36	213	8	254
Shapiro, Leonard I.	Boston	40	26	185	802
Sheppard, Patricia	Boston	38	27	90	507
McHugh, R. Kevin	Bradenton	-14	170	18	172
Montante, Philip J. J	Buffalo	-7	145	54	422
Rocco, Michaelangelo	Buffalo	-1	114	20	90
Brahos, O. John	Chicago	-2	123	103	423
Cuevas, Carlos	Chicago	70	6	218	511
Fujimoto, James R.	Chicago	25	44	170	598
Petrone, Anthony D. J	Chicago	-9	150	51	310
Smith, Renetta	Chicago	59	10	185	430
Vinikoor, Robert D.	Chicago	-16	172	107	505
Zerbe, Craig M.	Chicago	48	15	210	573
Copeland, Cary H.	Dallas	58	11	404	1138
Hughes, Edwin R.	Dallas	62	8	283	874
Rogers, D. Anthony	Dallas	0	104	13	129
Cordova, David J.	Denver	26	42	106	349
Vandello, James P.	Denver	-12	161	128	608
Hacker, Elizabeth A.	Detroit	-9	150	125	578
Newberry, Robert D.	Detroit	-6	139	36	161
Walsh, John F.	Detroit	-17	175	81	379
Burkholder, Gary D.	El Paso	-12	161	3	60
Smith, Penny M.	El Paso	-9	150	3	39
Zuniga, Bertha A.	El Paso	41	24	57	120
Cabrera, Esmeralda	Elizabeth	0	104	111	519
Tadal, Mirlande	Elizabeth	-25	192	126	752
Keenan, Sean H.	Eloy	-8	148	0	14
Knuck, Richard H.	Eloy	4	90	14	97
Levinsky, Mitchell A.	Fishkill	-5	136	4	37
Freerks, Lamonte S.	Florence	14	64	26	142
Jefferies, Scott M.	Florence	4	90	16	113
DeFillo, Irma Lopez	Guaynabo	3	95	28	130
Achtsam, Howard E.	Harlingen	11	69	38	163
Ayala, David	Harlingen	41	24	87	315
Burkhart, Margaret	Harlingen	32	31	59	100
Carte, John D.	Hartford	-19	180	11	165
Marple, Harriet B.	Hartford	13	66	17	57
Dias, Dayna	Honolulu	3	95	25	142
Brown, Robert	Houston	32	31	83	538
Rankin, Clarease	Houston	5	87	83	755
Suarez, Michael K.	Houston	-6	139	23	354
Vail, Joseph	Houston	60	9	196	721
Yarbrough, Susan	Houston	-11	157	1	41
Zimmer, William K.	Houston	-6	139	38	515
Benton, Jimmie Lee	Huntsville	-12	161	69	928
Bennett, Michael H.	Imperial	4	90	42	234
James, Dennis R.	Imperial	-4	132	4	88
O'Leary, Thomas Michae	Imperial	-22	188	4	134
Staton, Jack W.	Imperial	1	100	15	129
Weil, Jack H.	Imperial	-13	168	3	127
Nickerson, William J.	Lancaster	4	90	7	9
Van Winkle, Howard	Lancaster	-3	127	1	65
Mullins, Ronald L.	Las Vegas	-17	175	1	416
Weiss, Irene	Las Vegas	52	13	164	800
Bank, Ira	Los Angeles	-34	210	11	1185
Bronzina, Isabel B.	Los Angeles	-18	177	22	1599
Burman, Lawrence O.	Los Angeles	20	53	70	701
Daniel, Roy J.	Los Angeles	-47	220	21	1333
Del Bene, Charles A.	Los Angeles	-19	180	17	435
Dunkel-Bradley, Doroth	Los Angeles	2	97	57	964
Einhorn, Bruce J.	Los Angeles	-7	145	219	2460
Fong, Thomas	Los Angeles	-39	215	45	1888
Gembacz, Gilbert T.	Los Angeles	-14	170	98	1468
Gordon, Nathan W.	Los Angeles	0	104	159	2725
Hrycenko, Ingrid K.	Los Angeles	-26	194	129	2663
Ipema, Henry P.	Los Angeles	-19	180	82	2623
Latimore, Jan D.	Los Angeles	-22	188	120	2754
Law, Philip S.	Los Angeles	-13	168	18	1196
Malloy, Rosalind K.	Los Angeles	-20	185	8	309
Martin, William J.	Los Angeles	-34	210	56	1758
Mills, Miriam K.	Los Angeles	-27	195	4	1363
Munoz, Lorraine J.	Los Angeles	12	67	72	1169
Ohata, Ronald N.	Los Angeles	-27	195	33	2083
Reichenberg, Margaret	Los Angeles	-21	186	57	2041
Segal, Jay	Los Angeles	-32	208	57	2875
Seligman, Darlene R.	Los Angeles	-27	195	109	2954
Sholomson, Stephen L.	Los Angeles	19	55	186	2048
Walton, Richard D.	Los Angeles	-30	202	128	2935
Tovar, Eleazar	Los Fresnos	-11	157	50	1065
Pazar, Charles E.	Memphis	-5	136	88	356
Alexander, Scott G.	Miami	-5	136	64	438
Bradley, Kevin G.	Miami	-23	191	43	398
Chapa, Teofilo	Miami	-18	177	51	784
Coleman, Sandra S.	Miami	15	61	57	222
Dowell, J. Daniel	Miami	0	104	110	1017
Ford, Rex J.	Miami	14	64	127	836
Gastley, Harry L.	Miami	-27	195	94	1805
Hanson, Mahlon F.	Miami	-30	202	34	882
Horn, Michael C.	Miami	-2	123	58	602
King, H. Lloyd Jr.	Miami	2	97	49	512
Kleinfeld, Seymour R.	Miami	19	55	99	722
Lane, Denise M.	Miami	9	76	136	730
Mander, Stephen E.	Miami	10	72	99	666
McCormack, Nancy R.	Miami	0	104	176	969
Miranda, Pedro A.	Miami	15	61	119	766
Moreno, Roberto	Miami	8	78	63	466
Randall, Anthony J.	Miami	25	44	126	609
Sanders, Charles J.	Miami	-7	145	87	860
Sandron, Ira	Miami	-1	114	55	493
Sims, Deitrich H.	Miami	-22	188	11	322
Slavin, Denise N.	Miami	42	23	192	867
Solow, Bruce W.	Miami	-1	114	75	760
Sonom, Ronald G.	Miami	-4	132	70	672
Sukkar, Elisa M.	Miami	23	49	141	633
Torreh-Bayouth, Lilli	Miami	25	44	153	808
Villageliu, Gustavo D.	Miami	1	100	3	9
Williams, Keith C.	Miami	-28	200	64	1075
Foster, Neale	Miami-Krome	-4	132	20	118
Hurewitz, Kenneth S.	Miami-Krome	1	100	17	123
Zlatow, Jeffrey	New Orleans	26	42	65	380
Abrams, Steven R.	New York -- Varick St.	19	55	99	226
Page, Alan L.	New York -- Varick St.	2	97	33	189
Vomacka, Alan A.	New York -- Varick St.	-27	195	27	259
Adrian, Matthew T.	New York City	32	31	199	588
Bain, Terry A.	New York City	90	2	612	1161
Bukszpan, Joanna M.	New York City	-19	180	135	872
Burr, Sarah M.	New York City	6	84	380	1891
Chase, Jeffrey S.	New York City	-6	139	235	1693
Chew, George T.	New York City	32	31	450	1370
Dean, Larry R.	New York City	-10	154	23	149
DeFonzo, Paul	New York City	10	72	148	522
Elstein, Annette S.	New York City	1	100	330	1212
Ferris, Noel Anne	New York City	-44	217	135	1488
Ghartey, Victoria	New York City	73	4	460	1210
Hladylowycz, Roxanne	New York City	-31	205	45	377
Holmes-Simmons, There	New York City	-12	161	43	159
Hom, Sandy	New York City	-31	205	199	1500
Honeyman, Charles M.	New York City	-19	180	250	1450
Jankun, William F.	New York City	-53	223	18	1511
Kandler, Edward R.	New York City	-6	139	49	162
Laforest, Brigitte	New York City	7	82	202	496
Lamb, Elizabeth A.	New York City	30	38	457	1373
McManus, Margaret	New York City	68	7	703	1729
Morace, Philip L.	New York City	32	31	487	1895
Nelson, Barbara A.	New York City	-8	148	146	1331
Opaciuch, Adam	New York City	0	104	81	276
Rohan, Patricia A.	New York City	-16	172	612	2149
Schoppert, Douglas B.	New York City	48	15	329	777
Sichel, Helen	New York City	-2	123	125	589
Speer, John K.	New York City	-31	205	105	1001
Videla, Gabriel C.	New York City	-38	214	158	2038
Weisel, Robert D.	New York City	-21	186	393	1762
Dogin, Henry S.	Newark	-33	209	242	1742
Garcy, Annie S.	Newark	-16	172	143	892
Kim, Nicole	Newark	-45	218	72	904
Meisner, Daniel A.	Newark	-52	222	80	927
Pugliese, Eugene	Newark	-51	221	78	1108
Riefkohl, Alberto J.	Newark	15	61	179	941
Strasser, William	Newark	48	15	118	425
Duck, John A. Jr.	Oakdale	-18	177	1	75
Wiegand, Charles A. 3	Oakdale	-12	161	2	47
Dufresne, Jill H.	OCIJ	23	49	66	185
O'Leary, Brian M.	OCIJ	5	87	7	9
Owens, Robert P.	OCIJ	0	104	0	8
Padgett, Gail	OCIJ	-3	127	0	12
Williams, Phillip T.	OCIJ	11	69	102	678
Ortiz-Segura, Rafael	Orlando	9	76	189	535
Crosland, David W.	Otay Mesa	0	104	4	54
DePaolo, Zsa Zsa	Otay Mesa	-1	114	0	20
DeBernardis, Craig	Philadelphia	25	44	293	948
Ferlise, Donald V.	Philadelphia	-39	215	74	715
Grussendorf, Paul	Philadelphia	55	12	177	337
LeVay, Dean A.	Phoenix	-10	154	4	171
Richardson, John W.	Phoenix	8	78	40	391
Livingston, Donn L.	Queens Wackenhut	-12	161	290	639
Brodsky, Richard F.	San Antonio	11	69	16	101
Castro, Susan E.	San Antonio	5	87	46	183
McPhaul, Glenn P.	San Antonio	4	90	26	145
Atenaide, Anthony	San Diego	-12	161	68	729
Bagley, Kenneth A.	San Diego	-11	157	32	324
Barrett, Robert J.	San Diego	-1	114	43	254
Bartolomei, Rico J.	San Diego	24	48	101	499
Boone, Gaylyn N.	San Diego	-3	127	4	82
Fernandez, Ignacio P.	San Diego	-2	123	68	331
Ragusa, Joseph M.	San Diego	-9	150	4	53
Williams, John C.	San Diego	-1	114	40	326
Coupe, Dennis F.	San Francisco	-1	114	32	294
DiCostanzo, Lawrence	San Francisco	34	30	208	845
Gonzalez, Alberto E.	San Francisco	37	29	223	733
Hayward, Miriam	San Francisco	23	49	80	247
Hornbach, Bernard J.	San Francisco	51	14	154	457
Keener, Dana Marks	San Francisco	48	15	190	629
King, Carol A.	San Francisco	38	27	200	586
Phan-Quang, Tue	San Francisco	29	39	183	785
Phillips, Beverley M.	San Francisco	47	19	331	1222
Ramirez, Laura L.	San Francisco	28	41	114	297
Schooley Yam, Mimi	San Francisco	17	58	74	403
Simpson, Brian H.	San Francisco	-30	202	32	772
Stockton, Bette Kane	San Francisco	8	78	162	1225
Teeter, Marilyn J.	San Francisco	7	82	32	245
Webber, Polly A.	San Francisco	32	31	131	772
Yamaguchi, Michael J.	San Francisco	6	84	34	115
Peters, Rose	San Pedro	-1	114	68	303
Sitgraves, D.D.	San Pedro	8	78	122	229
Ho, Anna	Seattle	-10	154	84	491
Josephson, Kenneth	Seattle	12	67	115	655
Warren, Kendall	Seattle	-35	212	27	579
Zastrow, John T.	Tucson	22	52	29	84
Miller, Joe D.	Ulster	-3	127	19	74
Durling, Walter A.	York	29	39	70	155
Van Wyke, William	York	75	3	256	542
Brauwerman, Suzan C.		-4	132	25	192
Cohen, Howard I.		-3	127	0	7
King, Metcalfe C.		20	53	41	214
Lauer, Charles A.		-1	114	0	24
Leadbetter, Philip P.		47	19	100	170
Prud'homme, M. Edwin		10	72	29	106
Simonet, Jose S.		6	84	7	21

Study of Asylum Decisions by Immigration Judges (1995-99)
Statistical Breakdown of Asylum Decisions by Immigration Judges (1995-99)