Judge Douglas Donaldson Nelson (Salt Lake City, UT) approved 51.6% of decisions at final hearings over 5 years — 316 such decisions in total. National average: 34.9%. Average in this court: 64.6%.
This judge's approval rate is 16.7 pp higher than the national average and 13.0 pp lower than the court average.
At final hearings with this judge, applicants with an attorney were approved in 53.3% of decisions, without an attorney — in 18.8%. 94.9% of applicants had an attorney.
Over 5 years, judge Douglas Donaldson Nelson completed 1,435 cases. Decisions at the final hearing (approval or denial): 316; the rest are decisions at preliminary hearings, in-absentia removals, denials without a hearing, closed, terminated and other cases.
The median time from the start of a case to the decision with this judge is 19 mo.: half of the cases are decided faster, half take longer.
For new removal cases, this judge's first master hearing is set on average (median) 6 mo. after the case is filed with the court. Court average: 4 mo. Nationwide: 46 days.
In absentia (the person did not come to the hearing), removal was ordered in 40.7% of all cases; without a merits hearing (pretermission), 0.0% were denied. These cases are not part of the approval rate.
Salt Lake City, UT. Court page lists all judges of this court and their approval rates.
This is EOIR data (Executive Office for Immigration Review, US Department of Justice) released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as of September 30, 2026. How the figures are calculated — see “How we calculate”.
Nelson, Douglas Donaldson, immigration judge (Salt Lake City, UT). Asylum and other protection-from-removal approval rate at final hearings over 5 years: 51.6%, with 316 such decisions. National average: 34.9%. Court average: 64.6%. Share of applicants with an attorney: 94.9%.
