A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Nadkarni, Deepali (IJ code DNM, Arlington West, VA):
Overall track record
31 years on the bench (since 1996), 3,539 cases total, lifetime grant rate 19.3%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 1,912 cases, grant rate 16.6% — 3.8pp below the Arlington West court average (20.5%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Honduras 433 14.5% El Salvador 326 23.9% Guatemala 242 11.2% Bolivia 203 4.4% Mexico 122 8.1% Peru 119 10.2% Nicaragua 74 11.3% Colombia 52 14.6% Venezuela 45 4.8% Afghanistan 28 16.0% Ethiopia 28 88.5%
Ethiopia applicants see a 88.5% grant rate versus 4.4% for Bolivia applicants — a 20.2× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 306 cases, 30.9% grant rate 2024: 311 cases, 25.0% grant rate 2025: 729 cases, 10.4% grant rate 2026: 566 cases, 11.3% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Nadkarni, I'd love to hear:
1. What's your nationality, and when was your most recent hearing?
2. How did your attorney prepare for this judge specifically?
Source: EOIR (U.S. Executive Office for Immigration Review) public statistics, May 2026 release, compiled by AsylumTracker. A judge's historical pattern does not predict the outcome of any individual case; this is shared to help set realistic expectations. Real-experience accounts from the community are welcome.