Judge Michelle Araneta
How is this compared?
This judge: 15 of 1,611 (0.9 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 400 of 42,196 (1.0 %). 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.
5 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 (2.3 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 1,611 decisions, 15 ended with relief, 403 with the case closed, 104 with voluntary departure and 1,089 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 15 | 0.9 % |
| Case closed | 403 | 25.0 % |
| Voluntary departure | 104 | 6.5 % |
| Removal order | 1,089 | 67.6 % |
| Decided in absentia | 813 | 50.5 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Michelle Araneta, the share of cases with relief is 0.9 %: similar than at the Miami court (1.0 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Michelle Araneta, the share of removal orders is 67.6 %: higher than at the Miami court (54.7 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Michelle Araneta, the share of cases decided in absentia is 50.5 %: higher than at the Miami court (38.0 %) and higher than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Michelle Araneta, the share of people with an attorney is 40.7 %: higher than at the Miami court (31.4 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Michelle Araneta take longer than at the Miami court: a median of 1,020 days versus 818.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 13 of 33 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 9 of 33 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 29 of 33 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 29 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 (216 decisions) and the quietest Nov 2025 (82).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 117 | 0 | 78 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 89 | 1 | 46 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 82 | 1 | 33 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 101 | 2 | 57 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 100 | 2 | 52 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 150 | 0 | 63 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 143 | 3 | 44 | down |
| Apr 2026 | 103 | 1 | 53 | down |
| May 2026 | 120 | 0 | 74 | up |
| Jun 2026 | 208 | 3 | 116 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 216 | 1 | 107 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 182 | 1 | 90 | 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 Michelle Araneta is Cuba (408), followed by Nicaragua, Venezuela, Guatemala and Colombia. The highest share with relief was for people from Guatemala (2.1 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuba | 408 | 1.5 % | 17.7 % |
| Nicaragua | 254 | 0.0 % | 68.9 % |
| Venezuela | 197 | 0.0 % | 56.4 % |
| Guatemala | 143 | 2.1 % | 60.1 % |
| Colombia | 117 | 0.0 % | 57.3 % |
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 | 655 | 2.3 % |
| Without an attorney | 956 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- Miami Immigration Court: 1,597 decisions (99.1 %)
- Miami Krome (Detained) Immigration Court: 14 decisions (0.9 %)