The Honorable Immigration Judge Richard J Averwater
New York — Varick Street, NY Immigration Court
Appointed June 2015 · President Barack Obama→ Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
11 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Richard J Averwater earned a Bachelor of Science in 1985 from the University of the Ozarks and a Juris Doctor in 1988 from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. He was in private immigration law practice in Memphis from 2010 to 2015 and served as an assistant chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Memphis (2002-2007) and in Oakdale, Louisiana (1993-2000). Earlier, he was a special agent and pilot for the FBI in Tampa (1990-1992) and an attorney with the Immigration and Naturalization Service in El Paso (1989-1990). Judge Averwater is a member of the Tennessee Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
70
Completions per year
211 total
0%
Detained at decision
share of cases
58 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
3.8%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
8.1%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 0 appeals — too few
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
80.5%⚠
41 decisions Too few cases
Withholding / CAT
12%⚠
25 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
57.1%⚠
21 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
2 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
80.5%⚠
of asylum claims granted on the merits
Based on 41 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021. Fewer than 50 — treat this figure with caution.
This judge
80.5%
This court
37.1%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyer⚠represented · 41 decisions since 2021
80.5%
Without a lawyerunrepresented
no data
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).