Judge Barbara A. Nelson
How is this compared?
This judge: 65 of 1,477 (4.4 %) got relief. The other judges in the court: 1,675 of 37,623 (4.5 %). 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, 4 got relief. The vast majority end without 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 an attorney, 8 of every 100 got relief; without one, 0 of every 100 (8.4 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 1,477 decisions, 65 ended with relief, 219 with the case closed, 23 with voluntary departure and 1,170 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 65 | 4.4 % |
| Case closed | 219 | 14.8 % |
| Voluntary departure | 23 | 1.6 % |
| Removal order | 1,170 | 79.2 % |
| Decided in absentia | 908 | 61.5 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Barbara A. Nelson, the share of cases with relief is 4.4 %: similar than at the New York court (4.5 %) and higher than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Barbara A. Nelson, the share of removal orders is 79.2 %: lower than at the New York court (84.5 %) and higher than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Barbara A. Nelson, the share of cases decided in absentia is 61.5 %: higher than at the New York court (52.4 %) and higher than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Barbara A. Nelson, the share of people with an attorney is 52.3 %: higher than at the New York court (44.6 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Barbara A. Nelson take about the same as at the New York court: a median of 960 days versus 917.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 20 of 44 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 22 of 44 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 30 of 44 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 74 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 (190 decisions) and the quietest May 2026 (72).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 115 | 6 | 90 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 109 | 1 | 68 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 101 | 3 | 58 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 101 | 1 | 67 | same |
| Jan 2026 | 115 | 4 | 70 | up |
| Feb 2026 | 128 | 4 | 76 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 116 | 8 | 42 | down |
| Apr 2026 | 143 | 6 | 73 | up |
| May 2026 | 72 | 7 | 32 | down |
| Jun 2026 | 190 | 5 | 153 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 160 | 12 | 104 | down |
| Aug 2026 | 127 | 8 | 75 | 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 Barbara A. Nelson is Ecuador (329), followed by China, Venezuela, El Salvador and Colombia. The highest share with relief was for people from China (15.3 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | 329 | 0.9 % | 69.6 % |
| China | 131 | 15.3 % | 38.2 % |
| Venezuela | 126 | 0.0 % | 76.2 % |
| El Salvador | 117 | 0.9 % | 49.6 % |
| Colombia | 107 | 0.0 % | 69.2 % |
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 | 773 | 8.4 % |
| Without an attorney | 704 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- New York - Federal Plaza Immigration Court: 1,477 decisions (100.0 %)