Judge Mark Sameit
How is this compared?
This judge: 50 of 699 (7.1 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 244 of 1,397 (17.5 %). 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, 7 got relief. Even so, most end without relief.
0 of every 100 cases were decided in absentia, that is, without the person at the hearing.
With an attorney, 13 of every 100 got relief; without one, 0 of every 100 (12.7 % and 0.3 %).
Of their 699 decisions, 50 ended with relief, 64 with the case closed, 283 with voluntary departure and 302 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 50 | 7.1 % |
| Case closed | 64 | 9.2 % |
| Voluntary departure | 283 | 40.5 % |
| Removal order | 302 | 43.2 % |
| Decided in absentia | 0 | 0.0 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Mark Sameit, the share of cases with relief is 7.1 %: lower than at the Otay Mesa court (14.0 %) and higher than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Mark Sameit, the share of removal orders is 43.2 %: lower than at the Otay Mesa court (45.1 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Mark Sameit, the share of cases decided in absentia is 0.0 %: similar than at the Otay Mesa court (0.0 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Mark Sameit, the share of people with an attorney is 55.4 %: lower than at the Otay Mesa court (64.2 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Mark Sameit take less time than at the Otay Mesa court: a median of 81 days versus 145.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 6 of 6 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 3 of 6 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 2 of 6 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 88 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Oct 2025 (100 decisions) and the quietest Jun 2026 (29).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 63 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 100 | 5 | 0 | up |
| Nov 2025 | 45 | 3 | 0 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 62 | 6 | 0 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 57 | 7 | 0 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 67 | 5 | 0 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 42 | 2 | 0 | down |
| Apr 2026 | 47 | 3 | 0 | up |
| May 2026 | 33 | 0 | 0 | down |
| Jun 2026 | 29 | 3 | 0 | down |
| Jul 2026 | 96 | 3 | 0 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 58 | 4 | 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 Mark Sameit is Mexico (205), followed by Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and Colombia. The highest share with relief was for people from Colombia (3.7 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 205 | 0.5 % | 0.0 % |
| Guatemala | 96 | 0.0 % | 0.0 % |
| Honduras | 30 | 0.0 % | 0.0 % |
| Ecuador | 28 | 0.0 % | 0.0 % |
| Colombia | 27 | 3.7 % | 0.0 % |
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 | 387 | 12.7 % |
| Without an attorney | 312 | 0.3 % |
Where this judge decides
- Otay Mesa Immigration Court: 697 decisions (99.7 %)
- San Diego Immigration Court: 2 decisions (0.3 %)