Judge Joseph B. La Rocca
How is this compared?
This judge: 35 of 3,158 (1.1 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 98 of 6,701 (1.5 %). 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, 1 got relief. Very few cases end with relief.
6 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 0.1 %).
Of their 3,158 decisions, 35 ended with relief, 327 with the case closed, 132 with voluntary departure and 2,664 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 35 | 1.1 % |
| Case closed | 327 | 10.4 % |
| Voluntary departure | 132 | 4.2 % |
| Removal order | 2,664 | 84.4 % |
| Decided in absentia | 2,027 | 64.2 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Joseph B. La Rocca, the share of cases with relief is 1.1 %: similar than at the New Orleans court (1.4 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Joseph B. La Rocca, the share of removal orders is 84.4 %: similar than at the New Orleans court (84.3 %) and higher than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Joseph B. La Rocca, the share of cases decided in absentia is 64.2 %: higher than at the New Orleans court (62.1 %) and higher than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Joseph B. La Rocca, the share of people with an attorney is 37.0 %: lower than at the New Orleans court (40.9 %) and lower than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Joseph B. La Rocca take longer than at the New Orleans court: a median of 963 days versus 913.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 3 of 3 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 1 of 3 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 3 of 3 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 33 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 (468 decisions) and the quietest Jan 2026 (164).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 328 | 5 | 196 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 263 | 2 | 94 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 192 | 2 | 116 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 221 | 0 | 105 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 164 | 0 | 102 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 206 | 2 | 126 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 236 | 10 | 151 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 229 | 0 | 151 | down |
| May 2026 | 222 | 7 | 162 | down |
| Jun 2026 | 387 | 1 | 298 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 468 | 2 | 378 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 242 | 4 | 148 | 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 Joseph B. La Rocca is Honduras (1,384), followed by Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico and Brazil. The highest share with relief was for people from Mexico (4.4 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honduras | 1,384 | 0.4 % | 64.1 % |
| Guatemala | 355 | 0.9 % | 58.9 % |
| Nicaragua | 352 | 0.6 % | 59.9 % |
| Mexico | 293 | 4.4 % | 65.9 % |
| Brazil | 229 | 0.0 % | 88.6 % |
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 | 1,168 | 2.9 % |
| Without an attorney | 1,990 | 0.1 % |
Where this judge decides
- New Orleans Immigration Court: 2,808 decisions (88.9 %)
- Orlando Immigration Court: 310 decisions (9.8 %)
- LaSalle Immigration Court: 37 decisions (1.2 %)
- Oakdale Immigration Court: 2 decisions (0.1 %)
- Memphis Immigration Court: 1 decisions (0.0 %)