Judge Madeline Garcia
How is this compared?
This judge: 21 of 1,446 (1.5 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 394 of 42,361 (0.9 %). 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.
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 (2.9 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 1,446 decisions, 21 ended with relief, 348 with the case closed, 178 with voluntary departure and 899 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 21 | 1.5 % |
| Case closed | 348 | 24.1 % |
| Voluntary departure | 178 | 12.3 % |
| Removal order | 899 | 62.2 % |
| Decided in absentia | 518 | 35.8 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Madeline Garcia, the share of cases with relief is 1.5 %: higher than at the Miami court (1.0 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Madeline Garcia, the share of removal orders is 62.2 %: higher than at the Miami court (54.7 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Madeline Garcia, the share of cases decided in absentia is 35.8 %: lower than at the Miami court (38.0 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Madeline Garcia, the share of people with an attorney is 49.4 %: higher than at the Miami court (31.4 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Madeline Garcia take longer than at the Miami court: a median of 1,027 days versus 818.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 8 of 33 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 17 of 33 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 30 of 33 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 40 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 (240 decisions) and the quietest Dec 2025 (50).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 97 | 1 | 56 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 98 | 1 | 32 | up |
| Nov 2025 | 87 | 1 | 42 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 50 | 2 | 18 | down |
| Jan 2026 | 81 | 2 | 33 | up |
| Feb 2026 | 84 | 2 | 25 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 191 | 1 | 27 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 96 | 0 | 38 | down |
| May 2026 | 121 | 5 | 27 | up |
| Jun 2026 | 221 | 3 | 80 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 240 | 2 | 113 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 80 | 1 | 27 | 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 Madeline Garcia is Cuba (507), followed by Nicaragua, Guatemala, Colombia and Venezuela. The highest share with relief was for people from Nicaragua (2.7 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuba | 507 | 1.0 % | 10.5 % |
| Nicaragua | 187 | 2.7 % | 53.5 % |
| Guatemala | 121 | 2.5 % | 43.8 % |
| Colombia | 119 | 0.8 % | 38.7 % |
| Venezuela | 119 | 0.0 % | 51.3 % |
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 | 714 | 2.9 % |
| Without an attorney | 732 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- Miami Immigration Court: 1,432 decisions (99.0 %)
- Miami Krome (Detained) Immigration Court: 14 decisions (1.0 %)