Judge Michael G. Mcfarland
How is this compared?
This judge: 91 of 1,035 (8.8 %) got relief. The other judges in the court: 1,649 of 38,065 (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, 9 got relief. Even so, most end without relief.
7 of every 100 cases were decided in absentia, that is, without the person at the hearing.
With an attorney, 18 of every 100 got relief; without one, 0 of every 100 (17.7 % and 0.4 %).
Of their 1,035 decisions, 91 ended with relief, 92 with the case closed, 17 with voluntary departure and 835 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 91 | 8.8 % |
| Case closed | 92 | 8.9 % |
| Voluntary departure | 17 | 1.6 % |
| Removal order | 835 | 80.7 % |
| Decided in absentia | 77 | 7.4 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Michael G. Mcfarland, the share of cases with relief is 8.8 %: higher than at the New York court (4.5 %) and higher than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Michael G. Mcfarland, the share of removal orders is 80.7 %: lower than at the New York court (84.5 %) and higher than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Michael G. Mcfarland, the share of cases decided in absentia is 7.4 %: lower than at the New York court (52.4 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Michael G. Mcfarland, the share of people with an attorney is 48.5 %: higher than at the New York court (44.6 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Michael G. Mcfarland take about the same as at the New York court: a median of 887 days versus 917.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 12 of 44 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 43 of 44 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 23 of 44 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 91 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Mar 2026 (134 decisions) and the quietest Aug 2026 (0).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 114 | 23 | 14 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 71 | 13 | 11 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 86 | 7 | 0 | up |
| Dec 2025 | 88 | 2 | 19 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 83 | 8 | 25 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 75 | 6 | 1 | down |
| Mar 2026 | 134 | 11 | 2 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 91 | 5 | 3 | down |
| May 2026 | 94 | 9 | 2 | up |
| Jun 2026 | 122 | 2 | 0 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 77 | 5 | 0 | down |
| Aug 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 Michael G. Mcfarland is Ecuador (284), followed by Venezuela, China, Colombia and Guatemala. The highest share with relief was for people from China (43.5 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | 284 | 1.8 % | 10.2 % |
| Venezuela | 113 | 0.9 % | 5.3 % |
| China | 108 | 43.5 % | 4.6 % |
| Colombia | 64 | 1.6 % | 6.3 % |
| Guatemala | 43 | 0.0 % | 9.3 % |
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 | 502 | 17.7 % |
| Without an attorney | 533 | 0.4 % |
Where this judge decides
- New York - Federal Plaza Immigration Court: 1,035 decisions (100.0 %)