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 John C Odell earned a Bachelor of Science (1983) from the United States Coast Guard Academy and a Juris Doctor (1994) from Seattle University School of Law. Before his appointment, he served as an assistant chief counsel for ICE, DHS, in Seattle (2007-2013) and as a special assistant U.S. attorney. Earlier, he held various legal positions in the U.S. Coast Guard (1997-2007), including military judge and senior defense counsel.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,019
Completions per year
6,116 total
45%
Detained at decision
share of cases
3.3 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
13.9%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
4.1%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
4.7%
Appeals remanded or reversed
172 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.
35.2%
Bond requests granted
495 bond decisions High confidence
$9,000
Median bond when set
228 bonds with amounts
1.7%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 35.2%
Court average 34.3% · 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
20.9%
369 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
4.2%
698 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
7.9%⚠
38 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
29%⚠
31 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
23.5%⚠
17 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
37.1%
1,417 decisions High confidence
20.9%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 369 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
20.9%
This court
26.7%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 42% 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 · 284 decisions since 2021
24.3%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 85 decisions since 2021
9.4%
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).