Judge John C. Odell
How is this compared?
This judge: 13 of 1,042 (1.3 %) got relief (includes their cases in other courts). The other judges in the court: 112 of 2,181 (5.1 %). 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.
2 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 (4.6 % and 0.0 %).
Of their 1,042 decisions, 13 ended with relief, 30 with the case closed, 370 with voluntary departure and 629 with a removal order.
| Outcome | Decisions | % |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | 13 | 1.3 % |
| Case closed | 30 | 2.9 % |
| Voluntary departure | 370 | 35.5 % |
| Removal order | 629 | 60.4 % |
| Decided in absentia | 18 | 1.7 % |
This judge, the court and the nation
With John C. Odell, the share of cases with relief is 1.3 %: lower than at the Tacoma court (3.9 %) and lower than nationwide (2.4 %).
With John C. Odell, the share of removal orders is 60.4 %: higher than at the Tacoma court (58.6 %) and lower than nationwide (75.6 %).
With John C. Odell, the share of cases decided in absentia is 1.7 %: higher than at the Tacoma court (0.0 %) and lower than nationwide (45.3 %).
With John C. Odell, the share of people with an attorney is 27.5 %: lower than at the Tacoma court (40.4 %) and lower than nationwide (38.1 %).
Cases with John C. Odell take less time than at the Tacoma court: a median of 29 days versus 57.
Compared with other judges
- Ranked 3 of 3 for relief among the judges of their court (1 = most relief).
- Ranked 1 of 3 for cases decided in absentia (1 = most in absentia).
- Ranked 1 of 3 for speed (1 = fastest).
- Grants relief more often than 36 of every 100 judges nationwide (among 850 judges with 50 or more decisions).
Decisions per month (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)
The busiest month was Jul 2026 (139 decisions) and the quietest Nov 2025 (45).
| Month | Decisions | Relief | In absentia | Vs. prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | 64 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Oct 2025 | 129 | 2 | 0 | up |
| Nov 2025 | 45 | 1 | 0 | down |
| Dec 2025 | 84 | 0 | 0 | up |
| Jan 2026 | 66 | 1 | 0 | down |
| Feb 2026 | 79 | 0 | 0 | up |
| Mar 2026 | 95 | 0 | 0 | up |
| Apr 2026 | 55 | 2 | 5 | down |
| May 2026 | 65 | 1 | 0 | up |
| Jun 2026 | 95 | 3 | 0 | up |
| Jul 2026 | 139 | 0 | 0 | up |
| Aug 2026 | 126 | 0 | 13 | 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 John C. Odell is Mexico (598), followed by Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela and El Salvador. The highest share with relief was for people from Venezuela (2.3 %).
| Country of origin | Decisions | Relief | In absentia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 598 | 0.0 % | 1.2 % |
| Guatemala | 77 | 0.0 % | 1.3 % |
| Honduras | 66 | 1.5 % | 10.6 % |
| Venezuela | 44 | 2.3 % | 2.3 % |
| El Salvador | 28 | 0.0 % | 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 | 286 | 4.6 % |
| Without an attorney | 756 | 0.0 % |
Where this judge decides
- Tacoma Immigration Court: 1,018 decisions (97.7 %)
- Seattle Immigration Court: 24 decisions (2.3 %)