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 Joseph B. La Rocca earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1998 and a Juris Doctor in 2001, both from Louisiana State University. He worked as an attorney at the Holliday Law Firm in Baton Rouge (2001-2002) and at David Ware & Associates in Metairie (2002-2006). From 2006 to 2015 he served in various capacities, including senior attorney and assistant chief counsel, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in New Orleans. He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
3,568
Completions per year
21,407 total
1.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
27.3 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
20%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
3.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
1.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
143 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
23.1%
1,256 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.2%
2,113 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
39.1%
133 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
50%⚠
2 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
25 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
84.3%
389 decisions High confidence
23.1%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,256 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
23.1%
This court
28.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 46% 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 · 1,027 decisions since 2021
26.4%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 229 decisions since 2021
8.3%
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).