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 Paul M. Habich earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2004 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Juris Doctor in 2008 from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. Before his appointment, he served as an assistant chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/DHS (2009-2017), was an associate attorney with Lathrop & Clark LLP in Madison, Wisconsin (2008-2009), and served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1996-2000).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
2,243
Completions per year
13,459 total
6.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
2.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
12.5%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
6.5%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
74.3%
Appeals remanded or reversed
179 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.
32.4%
Bond requests granted
1,255 bond decisions High confidence
$6,000
Median bond when set
384 bonds with amounts
2.7%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 32.4%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
18.5%
839 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2%
1,638 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
18.9%
53 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
52.9%⚠
17 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
87.8%⚠
41 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
69.2%
227 decisions High confidence
18.5%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 839 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
18.5%
This court
13.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 37% 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 · 716 decisions since 2021
20.4%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 123 decisions since 2021
7.3%
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).