Judge John W. Richardson (Phoenix, AZ) approved 94.6% of decisions at final hearings all time — 498 such decisions in total. National average: 34.9%.
This judge's approval rate is 52.1 pp higher than the national average.
At final hearings with this judge, applicants with an attorney were approved in 94.9% of decisions, without an attorney — in 71.4%. 98.6% of applicants had an attorney.
All time, judge John W. Richardson completed 12,932 cases. Decisions at the final hearing (approval or denial): 498; 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 8 mo.: half of the cases are decided faster, half take longer.
In absentia (the person did not come to the hearing), removal was ordered in 31.2% of all cases; without a merits hearing (pretermission), 0.0% were denied. These cases are not part of the approval rate.
Phoenix, AZ. 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”.
Richardson, John W., immigration judge (Phoenix, AZ). Asylum and other protection-from-removal approval rate at final hearings all time: 94.6%, with 498 such decisions. National average: 34.9%. Share of applicants with an attorney: 98.6%.
