Judge Dorothy A. Harbeck
How is this compared?
This judge: 116 of 1,092 (10.6 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 1,629 of 38,089 (4.3 %). 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, 11 got relief. Even so, most end without 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 an attorney, 19 of every 100 got relief; without one, 0 of every 100 (19.2 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 1,092 decisions, 116 ended with relief, 83 with the case closed, 74 with voluntary departure and 819 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 116 | 10.6 % |
| Case closed | 83 | 7.6 % |
| Voluntary departure | 74 | 6.8 % |
| Removal order | 819 | 75.0 % |
| Decided in absentia | 496 | 45.4 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Dorothy A. Harbeck, the share of cases with relief is 10.6 %: higher than at the New York court (4.5 %) and higher than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Dorothy A. Harbeck, the share of removal orders is 75.0 %: lower than at the New York court (84.5 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Dorothy A. Harbeck, the share of cases decided in absentia is 45.4 %: lower than at the New York court (52.4 %) and similar than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Dorothy A. Harbeck, the share of people with an attorney is 55.4 %: higher than at the New York court (44.6 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Dorothy A. Harbeck take longer than at the New York court: a median of 979 days versus 917.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 7 of 44 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 32 of 44 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 31 of 44 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 94 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Jun 2026 (192 decisions) and the quietest Nov 2025 (50).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 76 | 14 | 25 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 88 | 17 | 17 | up |
| Nov 2025 | 50 | 6 | 11 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 74 | 9 | 18 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 70 | 7 | 32 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 91 | 4 | 38 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 116 | 17 | 42 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 77 | 6 | 38 | down |
| May 2026 | 76 | 3 | 32 | down |
| Jun 2026 | 192 | 11 | 143 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 97 | 10 | 64 | down |
| Aug 2026 | 85 | 12 | 36 | 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 Dorothy A. Harbeck is Ecuador (250), followed by China, Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico. The highest share with relief was for people from China (37.8 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | 250 | 1.2 % | 54.4 % |
| China | 90 | 37.8 % | 28.9 % |
| Venezuela | 90 | 2.2 % | 62.2 % |
| Colombia | 83 | 0.0 % | 53.0 % |
| Mexico | 62 | 17.7 % | 27.4 % |
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 | 605 | 19.2 % |
| Without an attorney | 487 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- New York - Federal Plaza Immigration Court: 1,011 decisions (92.6 %)
- Buffalo Immigration Court: 81 decisions (7.4 %)