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 Nicolas Orechwa earned a Juris Doctor in 2001 from Loyola University of New Orleans School of Law. Before his appointment, he served as an administrative law judge with the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings (2017-2023), was a partner at Brodsky, Renehan, Pearlstein & Bouquet Chtd. in Maryland (2006-2017), and worked as an assistant district attorney with the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office (2001-2004).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,169
Completions per year
4,677 total
52.7%
Detained at decision
share of cases
0.7 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
0%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
4.1%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
35.1%
Appeals remanded or reversed
97 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.
26.4%
Bond requests granted
1,663 bond decisions High confidence
$8,000
Median bond when set
428 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 26.4%
Court average 26.4% · median $7,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
9.9%
352 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
14.6%
800 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
8.2%⚠
49 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
33.3%⚠
12 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
20%⚠
5 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
52.3%
577 decisions High confidence
9.9%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 352 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
9.9%
This court
17.8%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 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 · 193 decisions since 2021
15%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 159 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).