Appointed March 2006 · President George W. Bush→ Attorney General Alberto Gonzales(AG inferred from date)
20 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Republican administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Frederic G Leeds earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1983 from Columbia University and a Juris Doctor in 1987 from the Washington College of Law at American University. Before his appointment, he was a solo practitioner in Freehold, New Jersey (1998-2006), and held earlier positions with the Law Offices of Edward Hoagland (1997-1998), the Law Offices of Craig Terkowitz (1996-1997), Public Service Electric and Gas Company (1989-1996), and the Law Offices of Leonard Franco (1988-1989). He also served as a state and federal court arbitrator, court mediator, and contract hearing officer for the EEOC and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,077
Completions per year
6,463 total
2.3%
Detained at decision
share of cases
19.2 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
22.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
2.2%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
8.3%
Appeals remanded or reversed
24 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
83.5%
811 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
18%
266 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
97.1%⚠
35 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
5 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%
61 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
95%⚠
20 decisions Too few cases
83.5%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 811 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
83.5%
This court
57.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 3% 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 · 795 decisions since 2021
84.7%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 16 decisions since 2021
25%
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).