Judge Joseph Lucas
How is this compared?
This judge: 1 of 65 (1.5 %) got relief. The other judges in the court: 65 of 5,305 (1.2 %). 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, 2 got relief. Very few cases end with relief.
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.
There are not enough cases with and without an attorney to compare them.
Of their 65 decisions, 1 ended with relief, 7 with the case closed, 0 with voluntary departure and 57 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 1 | 1.5 % |
| Case closed | 7 | 10.8 % |
| Voluntary departure | 0 | 0.0 % |
| Removal order | 57 | 87.7 % |
| Decided in absentia | 35 | 53.8 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Joseph Lucas, the share of cases with relief is 1.5 %: similar than at the Portland court (1.2 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Joseph Lucas, the share of removal orders is 87.7 %: higher than at the Portland court (68.4 %) and higher than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Joseph Lucas, the share of cases decided in absentia is 53.8 %: lower than at the Portland court (56.6 %) and higher than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Joseph Lucas, the share of people with an attorney is 32.3 %: higher than at the Portland court (20.8 %) and lower than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Joseph Lucas take longer than at the Portland court: a median of 983 days versus 861.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 4 of 7 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 5 of 7 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 6 of 7 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 41 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Aug 2026 (63 decisions) and the quietest Sep 2025 (0).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Nov 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Dec 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Jan 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Feb 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Apr 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| May 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Jun 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Jul 2026 | 2 | 0 | 0 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 63 | 1 | 35 | 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 Joseph Lucas is Mexico (27). The highest share with relief was for people from Mexico (3.7 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 27 | 3.7 % | 40.7 % |
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 | limited data | — |
| Without an attorney | limited data | — |
Where this judge decides
- Portland Immigration Court: 65 decisions (100.0 %)