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 Diane Dodd earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1982 from the University of Georgia and a Juris Doctor in 1990 from Lewis and Clark College, Northwestern School of Law. From 2016 to 2019, she served as a special assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota. From 2010 to 2019, she served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. From 1999 to 2010, she served as an assistant district attorney in the District Attorney's Office in Brunswick, Georgia. Judge Dodd is a member of the Georgia State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
776
Completions per year
4,654 total
1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
20.3 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
35.2%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
6.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
0%
Appeals remanded or reversed
33 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
30.2%
378 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.5%
527 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
0%⚠
9 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
50%⚠
2 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
88.9%⚠
9 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%
50 decisions Moderate
30.2%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 378 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
30.2%
This court
33.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 44% 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 · 356 decisions since 2021
30.6%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 22 decisions since 2021
22.7%
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).