Appointed November 2023 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland
2 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Nancy Griffiths earned a Bachelor of Science in 1993 from Newberry College and a Juris Doctor in 1996 from Valparaiso University School of Law. From 2009 to 2023, and previously from 1999 to 2000, she worked at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C., serving as supervisory administrative judge (2022-2023), administrative judge (2014-2022), senior trial attorney (2009-2014), and trial attorney (1999-2000). In 2007, she served as an assistant attorney general for the State of Texas, and from 2000 to 2006 she owned and operated a private business in Morristown, New Jersey. From 1996 to 1999, she was an associate attorney with Hoeppner, Wagner, and Evans LLC in Valparaiso, Indiana. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
242
Completions per year
1,450 total
1.2%
Detained at decision
share of cases
24.7 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
2.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
9.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
34.1%
Appeals remanded or reversed
44 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
34.2%
196 decisions Moderate
Withholding / CAT
1.3%
223 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
53.3%⚠
15 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
11 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%⚠
16 decisions Too few cases
34.2%
of asylum claims granted on the merits Moderate
Based on 196 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
34.2%
This court
36.8%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 38% 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 · 193 decisions since 2021
34.7%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 3 decisions since 2021
0%
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.
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).