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 Marc Stahl earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctor in 1991 from the University of Chicago Law School. From 1991 to 2021, he served as an assistant public defender in the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender in Chicago, including as Chief of the Felony Trial Division from 2016 to 2021. He was in private practice from January to July 2022. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,343
Completions per year
8,058 total
1.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
21.1 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
31.8%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
7.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
5.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
37 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
51.3%
1,335 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
6.4%
1,065 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
7.7%⚠
26 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
8 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
95.7%⚠
47 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
93.8%
96 decisions Moderate
51.3%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,335 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
51.3%
This court
45.7%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 18% 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 · 1,200 decisions since 2021
54.9%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 135 decisions since 2021
19.3%
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).