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 Brian T Palmer earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1982 from the State University of New York at Brockport, a Juris Doctor in 1986 from Western New England College School of Law, and a Master of Laws in 1992 from The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School. From 1987 to 2018, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an attorney, judge, and commanding officer across multiple duty stations in the United States and abroad, and earlier worked as an associate attorney in East Hartford, Connecticut (1986-1987).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
646
Completions per year
3,875 total
33.4%
Detained at decision
share of cases
8 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
10.1%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
16.2%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
8%
Appeals remanded or reversed
112 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.
29.9%
Bond requests granted
335 bond decisions High confidence
$7,500
Median bond when set
169 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 29.9%
Court average 100% · median $10,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
7.4%
815 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.8%
1,466 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
45.3%
106 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
46.2%⚠
13 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
61.1%⚠
18 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
71.6%
176 decisions Moderate
7.4%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 815 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
7.4%
This court
12.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 12% 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 · 692 decisions since 2021
8.1%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 123 decisions since 2021
3.3%
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).