A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Neumeister, William David (IJ code WDN, West Los Angeles, CA):
Overall track record
36 years on the bench (since 1991), 6,495 cases total, lifetime grant rate 48.8%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 1,842 cases, grant rate 44.4% — 31.3pp above the West Los Angeles court average (13.1%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Mexico 417 12.1% Russia 345 84.7% India 292 63.5% Guatemala 105 28.9% Afghanistan 92 37.1% Nicaragua 67 18.3% El Salvador 63 22.5% Honduras 63 15.8% Colombia 50 2.4% Venezuela 31 25.9% Romania 30 17.2%
Russia applicants see a 84.7% grant rate versus 2.4% for Colombia applicants — a 34.7× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 378 cases, 55.2% grant rate 2024: 683 cases, 49.5% grant rate 2025: 494 cases, 36.0% grant rate 2026: 287 cases, 23.3% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Neumeister, 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.