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 Melissa Beth Karlen earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1998 from the University of California, Riverside and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Before her appointment, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Arizona (2008-2019), an assistant chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (2007-2008), and a deputy prosecuting attorney for the City and County of Honolulu (2002-2007).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,218
Completions per year
7,310 total
5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
14.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
22.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
9.4%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
59.2%
Appeals remanded or reversed
238 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.
23.6%
Bond requests granted
72 bond decisions Moderate
$3,500
Median bond when set
17 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 23.6%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
20.2%
476 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.2%
755 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
46.4%
239 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
11 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
93.8%
64 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
64.3%
280 decisions High confidence
20.2%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 476 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
20.2%
This court
13.6%
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 · 437 decisions since 2021
21.5%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 39 decisions since 2021
5.1%
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).