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 Justin W Howard earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1998 from Kansas State University and a Juris Doctor in 2002 from American University, Washington College of Law. Before his appointment, he served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of the Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (2008-2016), as an associate attorney at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP in Kansas City (2006-2008), and as an assistant state's attorney in the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office (2002-2005).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
2,137
Completions per year
12,821 total
8.4%
Detained at decision
share of cases
30.5 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
31.9%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
4.2%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
2%
Appeals remanded or reversed
101 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.
40%
Bond requests granted
120 bond decisions Moderate
$5,000
Median bond when set
78 bonds with amounts
2.1%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 40%
Court average 11.2% · median $7,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
20.3%
891 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2%
1,447 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
46.7%
167 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
42.9%⚠
14 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
83.3%⚠
48 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
76.3%
797 decisions High confidence
20.3%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 891 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
20.3%
This court
14.4%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 41% 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 · 655 decisions since 2021
26.3%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 236 decisions since 2021
3.8%
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).