Source: EOIR — Find an Immigration Court.
Recording an internet-based hearing is prohibited (8 C.F.R. § 1003.28). Respondents without a representative default to in-person hearings.
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Billy J. Sapp earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1997 from Emory University and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of Houston Law Center. From 2002 to 2018, he served as an assistant chief counsel and senior attorney with the Office of the Chief Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Baltimore. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,131
Completions per year
6,788 total
58.6%
Detained at decision
share of cases
1.2 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
0%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
2.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
15.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
117 appeals decided
Bond decisions
Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021.
"Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
61.8%
Bond requests granted
2,001 bond decisions High confidence
$8,000
Median bond when set
1,345 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 61.8%
Court average 58.7% · median $8,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
9.2%
402 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
3.1%
849 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
10.1%
129 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
70%
80 decisions Moderate
Adjustment of status (245)
59.1%⚠
22 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
46.7%
1,320 decisions High confidence
9.2%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 402 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
9.2%
This court
12.4%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 17% of the 825 judges nationally with enough cases to compare.
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyerrepresented · 207 decisions since 2021
12.1%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 195 decisions since 2021
6.2%
Asylum grant rate over time
Each point is that calendar year's grant rate, back to 2015 where the judge was deciding cases — the longer career view. Dashed grey line = current national average (31.8%). Headline rates above use 2021 – today.
* 2026 is a partial year (data through 06/01/2026) and is incomplete.
Courts where this judge has decided cases
Hearing locations for cases this judge completed since 2021, by number of decisions.
Many judges hear cases from more than one court (detained facilities, video dockets, or reassignments).