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 Geoffrey Hoffman earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1991 from Columbia College, Columbia University, a Juris Doctor in 1997 from Tulane Law School, and a Master of Laws in 2004 from Harvard Law School. Before his appointment, he served as director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Houston Law Center (2009-2022) and practiced immigration law at Kurzban, Kurzban, Weinger, and Tetzeli PA in Miami (2004-2009). Earlier he served as a judicial law clerk for U.S. District Judge Paul V. Gadola in the Eastern District of Michigan (1998-2000).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,673
Completions per year
10,039 total
5.1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
12.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
27.8%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
5.6%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
6%
Appeals remanded or reversed
50 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.
36.6%⚠
Bond requests granted
41 bond decisions Too few cases
$7,250
Median bond when set
20 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 36.6%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
16.5%
708 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.2%
1,247 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
4.8%⚠
42 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
50%⚠
2 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
66.7%⚠
30 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
86.4%
147 decisions Moderate
16.5%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 708 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
16.5%
This court
6.9%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 34% 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 · 532 decisions since 2021
22%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 176 decisions since 2021
0%
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).