Judge Ian R. Simons
How is this compared?
This judge: 14 of 1,613 (0.9 %) got relief. The other judges in the court: 144 of 7,247 (2.0 %). 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, 1 got relief. Very few cases end with relief.
3 of every 10 cases were decided in absentia, without the person at the hearing. Going to your hearing is the most important thing you can do.
With and without an attorney, the share with relief was similar (2.5 % and 0.1 %).
Of their 1,613 decisions, 14 ended with relief, 180 with the case closed, 104 with voluntary departure and 1,315 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 14 | 0.9 % |
| Case closed | 180 | 11.2 % |
| Voluntary departure | 104 | 6.5 % |
| Removal order | 1,315 | 81.5 % |
| Decided in absentia | 498 | 30.9 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Ian R. Simons, the share of cases with relief is 0.9 %: lower than at the Detroit court (1.8 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Ian R. Simons, the share of removal orders is 81.5 %: higher than at the Detroit court (68.6 %) and higher than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Ian R. Simons, the share of cases decided in absentia is 30.9 %: higher than at the Detroit court (19.7 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Ian R. Simons, the share of people with an attorney is 32.5 %: lower than at the Detroit court (39.0 %) and lower than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Ian R. Simons take about the same as at the Detroit court: a median of 610 days versus 610.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 12 of 14 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 3 of 14 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 7 of 14 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 28 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Sep 2025 (237 decisions) and the quietest Jan 2026 (74).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 237 | 0 | 29 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 201 | 4 | 2 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 161 | 3 | 0 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 130 | 0 | 0 | down |
| Jan 2026 | 74 | 0 | 0 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 100 | 1 | 29 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 108 | 2 | 30 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 92 | 0 | 50 | down |
| May 2026 | 124 | 3 | 92 | up |
| Jun 2026 | 146 | 0 | 107 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 107 | 1 | 68 | down |
| Aug 2026 | 133 | 0 | 91 | 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 Ian R. Simons is Mexico (390), followed by Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia and Honduras. The highest share with relief was for people from Cuba (3.5 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 390 | 0.8 % | 32.3 % |
| Venezuela | 371 | 0.3 % | 40.4 % |
| Cuba | 143 | 3.5 % | 6.3 % |
| Colombia | 120 | 0.0 % | 38.3 % |
| Honduras | 97 | 0.0 % | 35.1 % |
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 | 524 | 2.5 % |
| Without an attorney | 1,089 | 0.1 % |
Where this judge decides
- Detroit Immigration Court: 1,613 decisions (100.0 %)