Judge Denise Hunter
How is this compared?
This judge: 53 of 254 (20.9 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 266 of 3,209 (8.3 %). 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, 21 got relief. That is more than 1 in 7 cases, though every case is different.
4 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, 37 of every 100 got relief; without one, 3 of every 100 (37.1 % and 3.3 %).
Of their 254 decisions, 53 ended with relief, 19 with the case closed, 12 with voluntary departure and 170 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 53 | 20.9 % |
| Case closed | 19 | 7.5 % |
| Voluntary departure | 12 | 4.7 % |
| Removal order | 170 | 66.9 % |
| Decided in absentia | 110 | 43.3 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With Denise Hunter, the share of cases with relief is 20.9 %: higher than at the Sacramento court (9.2 %) and higher than nationwide (2.4 %).
With Denise Hunter, the share of removal orders is 66.9 %: lower than at the Sacramento court (79.1 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With Denise Hunter, the share of cases decided in absentia is 43.3 %: higher than at the Sacramento court (40.3 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With Denise Hunter, the share of people with an attorney is 52.0 %: higher than at the Sacramento court (42.7 %) and higher than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with Denise Hunter take about the same as at the Sacramento court: a median of 782 days versus 782.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 2 of 7 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 2 of 7 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 6 of 7 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 99 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Sep 2025 (83 decisions) and the quietest Mar 2026 (0).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 83 | 21 | 37 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 74 | 7 | 37 | down |
| Nov 2025 | 64 | 14 | 31 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 31 | 11 | 5 | down |
| Jan 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Mar 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | down |
| Apr 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| May 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Jun 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Jul 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
| Aug 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | same |
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 Denise Hunter is Mexico (66), followed by Russia and Guatemala. The highest share with relief was for people from Russia (69.1 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 66 | 1.5 % | 59.1 % |
| Russia | 55 | 69.1 % | 10.9 % |
| Guatemala | 25 | 16.0 % | 68.0 % |
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 | 132 | 37.1 % |
| Without an attorney | 122 | 3.3 % |
Where this judge decides
- Sacramento Immigration Court: 224 decisions (88.2 %)
- Adelanto Immigration Court: 30 decisions (11.8 %)