Appointed October 2010 · President Barack Obama→ Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
15 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Joren Lyons earned a Bachelor of Arts (1994) and a Juris Doctor (1999), both from the University of California, Berkeley. Before his appointment, he worked as a senior staff attorney for the Asian Law Caucus, a nonprofit in San Francisco (2003-2010), and as an associate attorney at Angela M. Bean & Associates. Earlier, he served as an attorney advisor through the Attorney General's Honors Program at the San Francisco Immigration Court.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
21
Completions per year
62 total
0%
Detained at decision
share of cases
40.7 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
0%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
9.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 1 appeals — too few
Bond decisions
Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021.
"Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
0%⚠
Bond requests granted
1 bond decision Too few cases
—
Median bond when set
—
Released on own recognizance
This judge 0%
Court average 55.6% · median $2,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
14.3%⚠
7 decisions Too few cases
Withholding / CAT
10%⚠
10 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
81.8%⚠
22 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
14.3%⚠
of asylum claims granted on the merits
Based on 7 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021. Fewer than 50 — treat this figure with caution.
This judge
14.3%
This court
26.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyer⚠represented · 7 decisions since 2021
14.3%
Without a lawyerunrepresented
no data
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.
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).