Judge Pedro J. Espinal
How is this compared?
This judge: 20 of 2,705 (0.7 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 550 of 36,964 (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.
3 of every 100 cases were decided in absentia, that is, without the person at the hearing.
With and without an attorney, the share with relief was similar (2.4 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 2,705 decisions, 20 ended with relief, 214 with the case closed, 741 with voluntary departure and 1,730 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 20 | 0.7 % |
| Case closed | 214 | 7.9 % |
| Voluntary departure | 741 | 27.4 % |
| Removal order | 1,730 | 64.0 % |
| Decided in absentia | 94 | 3.5 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Pedro J. Espinal, the share of cases with relief is 0.7 %: lower than at the Orlando court (1.4 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Pedro J. Espinal, the share of removal orders is 64.0 %: lower than at the Orlando court (66.5 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Pedro J. Espinal, the share of cases decided in absentia is 3.5 %: lower than at the Orlando court (45.1 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Pedro J. Espinal, the share of people with an attorney is 30.2 %: similar than at the Orlando court (29.7 %) and lower than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Pedro J. Espinal take less time than at the Orlando court: a median of 90 days versus 882.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 21 of 28 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 26 of 28 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 1 of 28 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 25 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Dec 2025 (278 decisions) and the quietest Aug 2026 (159).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 204 | 0 | 64 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 235 | 0 | 29 | up |
| Nov 2025 | 220 | 1 | 0 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 278 | 4 | 0 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 273 | 2 | 0 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 236 | 2 | 0 | down |
| Mar 2026 | 243 | 4 | 1 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 256 | 2 | 0 | up |
| May 2026 | 189 | 3 | 0 | down |
| Jun 2026 | 191 | 0 | 0 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 221 | 2 | 0 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 159 | 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 Pedro J. Espinal is Mexico (590), followed by Guatemala, Venezuela, Honduras and Colombia. The highest share with relief was for people from Mexico (0.7 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 590 | 0.7 % | 2.0 % |
| Guatemala | 454 | 0.2 % | 4.9 % |
| Venezuela | 377 | 0.3 % | 2.1 % |
| Honduras | 361 | 0.0 % | 5.5 % |
| Colombia | 138 | 0.0 % | 3.6 % |
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 | 818 | 2.4 % |
| Without an attorney | 1,887 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- Orlando Immigration Court: 2,550 decisions (94.3 %)
- Miami Krome (Detained) Immigration Court: 141 decisions (5.2 %)
- Guaynabo Immigration Court: 14 decisions (0.5 %)