Judge J. Daniel Dowell
How is this compared?
This judge: 5 of 2,110 (0.2 %) got relief. The other judges in the court: 410 of 41,683 (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
Fewer than 1 in 100 cases this judge decided got relief (5 of 2,110).
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 and without an attorney, the share with relief was similar (0.6 % and 0.1 %).
Of their 2,110 decisions, 5 ended with relief, 1,042 with the case closed, 85 with voluntary departure and 978 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 5 | 0.2 % |
| Case closed | 1,042 | 49.4 % |
| Voluntary departure | 85 | 4.0 % |
| Removal order | 978 | 46.4 % |
| Decided in absentia | 751 | 35.6 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With J. Daniel Dowell, the share of cases with relief is 0.2 %: lower than at the Miami court (1.0 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With J. Daniel Dowell, the share of removal orders is 46.4 %: lower than at the Miami court (54.7 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With J. Daniel Dowell, the share of cases decided in absentia is 35.6 %: lower than at the Miami court (38.0 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With J. Daniel Dowell, the share of people with an attorney is 33.6 %: higher than at the Miami court (31.4 %) and lower than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with J. Daniel Dowell take about the same as at the Miami court: a median of 799 days versus 818.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 27 of 33 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 18 of 33 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 17 of 33 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 11 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 (323 decisions) and the quietest Sep 2025 (69).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 69 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 74 | 0 | 3 | up |
| Nov 2025 | 159 | 0 | 62 | up |
| Dec 2025 | 117 | 1 | 42 | down |
| Jan 2026 | 152 | 0 | 45 | up |
| Feb 2026 | 254 | 1 | 51 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 187 | 2 | 31 | down |
| Apr 2026 | 217 | 0 | 114 | up |
| May 2026 | 100 | 0 | 33 | down |
| Jun 2026 | 221 | 0 | 87 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 323 | 1 | 142 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 237 | 0 | 141 | 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 J. Daniel Dowell is Cuba (848), followed by Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and Venezuela. The highest share with relief was for people from Honduras (0.5 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuba | 848 | 0.4 % | 5.5 % |
| Guatemala | 350 | 0.0 % | 49.7 % |
| Nicaragua | 197 | 0.0 % | 67.5 % |
| Honduras | 184 | 0.5 % | 53.3 % |
| Venezuela | 116 | 0.0 % | 61.2 % |
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 | 708 | 0.6 % |
| Without an attorney | 1,402 | 0.1 % |
Where this judge decides
- Miami Immigration Court: 2,110 decisions (100.0 %)