Judge Jonathan W. Owens

A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Owens, Jonathan W. (IJ code JNO, Cleveland, OH):

Overall track record

13 years on the bench (since 2014), 5,550 cases total, lifetime grant rate 2.5%

Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,980 cases, grant rate 2.0% — roughly in line with the Cleveland court average (2.9%)

Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)

Nationality / Cases / Grant rate
Guatemala              931    0.2%
Honduras               589    0.2%
Mexico                 391    2.7%
Venezuela              216    2.5%
Nicaragua              141    4.3%
El Salvador            126    1.5%
Colombia                83    1.5%
Haiti                   82    0.0%
Brazil                  57    0.0%
Ecuador                 45    0.0%
Mauritania              35    3.8%

Year-by-year

2023:  671 cases, 3.9% grant rate
2024:  505 cases, 4.5% grant rate
2025: 1205 cases, 0.8% grant rate
2026:  599 cases, 0.4% grant rate

If you've appeared before Judge Owens, 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.