Judge Nicole Lane
How is this compared?
This judge: 1 of 2,900 (0.0 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 321 of 18,466 (1.7 %). 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
Fewer than 1 in 100 cases this judge decided got relief (1 of 2,900).
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 and without an attorney, the share with relief was similar (0.1 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 2,900 decisions, 1 ended with relief, 119 with the case closed, 269 with voluntary departure and 2,511 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 1 | 0.0 % |
| Case closed | 119 | 4.1 % |
| Voluntary departure | 269 | 9.3 % |
| Removal order | 2,511 | 86.6 % |
| Decided in absentia | 1,374 | 47.4 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Nicole Lane, the share of cases with relief is 0.0 %: lower than at the Newark court (1.5 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Nicole Lane, the share of removal orders is 86.6 %: higher than at the Newark court (83.0 %) and higher than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Nicole Lane, the share of cases decided in absentia is 47.4 %: lower than at the Newark court (56.6 %) and higher than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Nicole Lane, the share of people with an attorney is 38.7 %: higher than at the Newark court (34.9 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Nicole Lane take about the same as at the Newark court: a median of 997 days versus 961.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 10 of 12 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 9 of 12 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 11 of 12 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 7 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 (429 decisions) and the quietest Nov 2025 (69).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 84 | 0 | 14 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 109 | 0 | 66 | up |
| Nov 2025 | 69 | 0 | 20 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 149 | 0 | 61 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 276 | 0 | 50 | up |
| Feb 2026 | 307 | 0 | 109 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 429 | 0 | 135 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 238 | 0 | 145 | down |
| May 2026 | 289 | 0 | 163 | up |
| Jun 2026 | 265 | 1 | 153 | down |
| Jul 2026 | 332 | 0 | 233 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 353 | 0 | 225 | up |
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 Nicole Lane is Ecuador (653), followed by Peru, Colombia, Guatemala and Brazil. The highest share with relief was for people from Ecuador (0.0 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | 653 | 0.0 % | 41.0 % |
| Peru | 466 | 0.0 % | 39.3 % |
| Colombia | 431 | 0.0 % | 40.1 % |
| Guatemala | 303 | 0.0 % | 61.4 % |
| Brazil | 194 | 0.0 % | 48.4 % |
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 | 1,122 | 0.1 % |
| Without an attorney | 1,778 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- Newark Immigration Court: 2,780 decisions (95.9 %)
- Elizabeth Immigration Court: 120 decisions (4.1 %)