Judge Elizabeth A. Kessler
How is this compared?
This judge: 96 of 974 (9.9 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 982 of 10,377 (9.5 %). 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, 10 got relief. Even so, most end without relief.
4 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 an attorney, 20 of every 100 got relief; without one, 1 of every 100 (20.4 % and 1.3 %).
Of their 974 decisions, 96 ended with relief, 73 with the case closed, 51 with voluntary departure and 754 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 96 | 9.9 % |
| Case closed | 73 | 7.5 % |
| Voluntary departure | 51 | 5.2 % |
| Removal order | 754 | 77.4 % |
| Decided in absentia | 401 | 41.2 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Elizabeth A. Kessler, the share of cases with relief is 9.9 %: similar than at the Hyattsville court (9.6 %) and higher than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Elizabeth A. Kessler, the share of removal orders is 77.4 %: higher than at the Hyattsville court (73.6 %) and higher than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Elizabeth A. Kessler, the share of cases decided in absentia is 41.2 %: higher than at the Hyattsville court (25.4 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Elizabeth A. Kessler, the share of people with an attorney is 44.9 %: lower than at the Hyattsville court (65.9 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Elizabeth A. Kessler take less time than at the Hyattsville court: a median of 645 days versus 756.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 6 of 13 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 2 of 13 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 2 of 13 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 93 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Jul 2026 (205 decisions) and the quietest Dec 2025 (30).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 70 | 12 | 7 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 35 | 7 | 6 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 38 | 13 | 3 | up |
| Dec 2025 | 30 | 6 | 1 | down |
| Jan 2026 | 51 | 0 | 12 | up |
| Feb 2026 | 53 | 5 | 17 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 111 | 2 | 32 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 92 | 6 | 29 | down |
| May 2026 | 96 | 10 | 42 | up |
| Jun 2026 | 85 | 3 | 49 | down |
| Jul 2026 | 205 | 10 | 166 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 108 | 22 | 37 | down |
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 Elizabeth A. Kessler is El Salvador (134), followed by Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela and Nicaragua. The highest share with relief was for people from Venezuela (13.4 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | 134 | 1.5 % | 32.8 % |
| Guatemala | 118 | 3.4 % | 40.7 % |
| Honduras | 108 | 4.6 % | 31.5 % |
| Venezuela | 97 | 13.4 % | 52.6 % |
| Nicaragua | 55 | 7.3 % | 56.4 % |
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 | 437 | 20.4 % |
| Without an attorney | 537 | 1.3 % |
Where this judge decides
- Hyattsville Immigration Court: 796 decisions (81.7 %)
- New York - Federal Plaza Immigration Court: 133 decisions (13.7 %)
- Elizabeth Immigration Court: 43 decisions (4.4 %)
- Baltimore Immigration Court: 2 decisions (0.2 %)