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 Luther M Snavely earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1989 from the University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor in 1994 from Notre Dame Law School. From 1994 to 2022 he held partnership and associate roles at law firms in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
740
Completions per year
4,438 total
1.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
18.7 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
31.8%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
14.5%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
2.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
42 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
10 bond decisions Too few cases
$5,000
Median bond when set
21 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 40%
Court average 50%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
8.5%
1,088 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.9%
1,999 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
4.7%⚠
43 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
50%⚠
4 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
44.4%⚠
18 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
85.7%
140 decisions Moderate
8.5%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,088 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
8.5%
This court
26.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 15% 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 · 827 decisions since 2021
10.6%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 261 decisions since 2021
1.9%
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).