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 Theresa Scala earned a Bachelor of Science in 1986 from Ithaca College and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from Nova Southeastern University Law Center. She served as an attorney advisor and judicial law clerk with EOIR in Miami (1992-1994) and then as an assistant chief counsel with DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami (1994-2010). She was sworn in as an Immigration Judge in May 2010. She is a member of the Florida State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
614
Completions per year
3,684 total
35.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
15.6 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
19.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
2.5%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
20%
Appeals remanded or reversed
65 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.
35.7%
Bond requests granted
115 bond decisions Moderate
$10,000
Median bond when set
53 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 35.7%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
15.1%
106 decisions Moderate
Withholding / CAT
4.4%
204 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
21.4%⚠
14 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
41.7%⚠
12 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
75%⚠
8 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
64.5%
524 decisions High confidence
15.1%
of asylum claims granted on the merits Moderate
Based on 106 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
15.1%
This court
23.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 32% 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 · 69 decisions since 2021
20.3%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 37 decisions since 2021
5.4%
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).