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 Zol Rainey earned a Bachelor of Science in 1992 from Old Dominion University, a Juris Doctor in 2000 from The John Marshall Law School, and a Master of Laws in 2005 from The George Washington University Law School. Before his appointment, he served as senior litigation counsel and an enforcement attorney at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2012-2021), in the Executive Communications Unit at ICE's Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (2011-2012), as an assistant chief counsel at ICE (2009-2011), as an assistant attorney general for the District of Columbia (2005-2009), and as a judge advocate in the U.S. Navy (2000-2005).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
427
Completions per year
2,560 total
28.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
32 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
9.8%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
21.5%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
22.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
85 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.
42.9%
Bond requests granted
434 bond decisions High confidence
$5,000
Median bond when set
164 bonds with amounts
1.1%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 42.9%
Court average 100% · median $10,000
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%
596 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.4%
1,086 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
5%
80 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
33.3%⚠
6 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
52.6%⚠
19 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
58%
169 decisions Moderate
9.9%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 596 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
9.9%
This court
12.6%
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 · 518 decisions since 2021
10.2%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 78 decisions since 2021
7.7%
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).