Judge Raphael Choi
How is this compared?
This judge: 33 of 913 (3.6 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 1,068 of 16,213 (6.6 %). We say "more" or "less" only when the difference is statistically clear (two-proportion test, 95%); otherwise "similar".
Decisions over 12 months
In plain words
Out of every 100 cases this judge decided, 4 got relief. The vast majority end without relief.
1 of every 100 cases were decided in absentia, that is, without the person at the hearing.
With an attorney, 5 of every 100 got relief; without one, 0 of every 100 (5.3 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 913 decisions, 33 ended with relief, 51 with the case closed, 171 with voluntary departure and 658 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 33 | 3.6 % |
| Case closed | 51 | 5.6 % |
| Voluntary departure | 171 | 18.7 % |
| Removal order | 658 | 72.1 % |
| Decided in absentia | 6 | 0.7 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Raphael Choi, the share of cases with relief is 3.6 %: lower than at the Annandale court (6.4 %) and higher than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Raphael Choi, the share of removal orders is 72.1 %: similar than at the Annandale court (72.1 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Raphael Choi, the share of cases decided in absentia is 0.7 %: lower than at the Annandale court (26.6 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Raphael Choi, the share of people with an attorney is 67.8 %: higher than at the Annandale court (64.3 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Raphael Choi take longer than at the Annandale court: a median of 860 days versus 719.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 18 of 24 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 22 of 24 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 21 of 24 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 67 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Feb 2026 (97 decisions) and the quietest Mar 2026 (49).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 93 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 81 | 1 | 0 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 54 | 1 | 0 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 51 | 0 | 0 | down |
| Jan 2026 | 57 | 8 | 1 | up |
| Feb 2026 | 97 | 1 | 0 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 49 | 6 | 0 | down |
| Apr 2026 | 91 | 5 | 0 | up |
| May 2026 | 90 | 3 | 0 | down |
| Jun 2026 | 73 | 3 | 0 | down |
| Jul 2026 | 83 | 0 | 0 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 94 | 4 | 4 | up |
Months with fewer than 5 decisions are dotted: with so few cases, that month's percentage says little.
By nationality
The nationality with the most decisions before Raphael Choi is El Salvador (213), followed by Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Venezuela. The highest share with relief was for people from El Salvador (4.2 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | 213 | 4.2 % | 1.9 % |
| Guatemala | 142 | 0.7 % | 0.0 % |
| Honduras | 133 | 1.5 % | 0.0 % |
| Mexico | 86 | 1.2 % | 1.2 % |
| Venezuela | 48 | 0.0 % | 2.1 % |
Only countries with 25 or more decisions with this judge; cases without a recorded nationality are not included.
With and without an attorney
| Decisions | Relief | |
|---|---|---|
| With an attorney | 619 | 5.3 % |
| Without an attorney | 294 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- Annandale Immigration Court: 909 decisions (99.6 %)