# John Odell

Immigration Judge · [Tacoma Immigration Court](/kyj/court/wa/tacoma-immigration-court)

Last updated October 25, 2026

## John Odell at a glance

Current role

Immigration Judge

Court

[Tacoma Immigration Court](/kyj/court/wa/tacoma-immigration-court)

Jurisdiction

Washington · Federal

Judicial service

Active

Historical EOIR data

## Outcomes at a glance

Total outcomes

8,385

Relief granted

466 5.6%

Denied / removal ordered

5,183 61.8%

Other / procedural

2,736 32.6%

National comparison for this selection: 9,249,024 outcomes; 10.0% relief granted; 52.0% denied / removal ordered; 38.0% other / procedural.

Methodology and sources

These are proceeding outcomes, not asylum application statistics. Completion years use EOIR COMP_DATE; 2026 contains partial-year data. Relief granted, denied / removal ordered and other / procedural exhaust the recorded outcomes. Groups of one are included. Historical outcomes do not establish a current assignment. Counts describe recorded cases and do not predict an individual's result.

[Official EOIR case data](https://fileshare.eoir.justice.gov/EOIR%20Case%20Data.zip) · Source date: Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:14:27 GMT

Asylum decisions and other statistics

## Analytics

Published EOIR records include 1,433 asylum outcomes associated with this judge. Asylum was granted in 296 (20.7%) and denied in 929 (64.8%); 208 were other or procedural outcomes. [Explore analytics](#analytics)

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge John C. Odell was appointed by Attorney General Eric Holder in April 2013
- Before his judicial appointment, he held the role of assistant chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Seattle from 2007 to 2013, and as a special assistant U.S. attorney from 2008 to 2010.
- From 1997 to 2007, Judge Odell served in the U.S. Coast Guard, holding positions such as staff judge advocate, military judge, senior defense counsel, and assistant legal officer across various districts and the Coast Guard Academy

### Education

- Seattle University School of Law in — J.D. (1994)
- United States Coast Guard Academy in — B.S. (1983)

### Additional information

- He is a member of the Washington State Bar and has been licensed since March 20, 1995.

## Sources

Identity source checked August 19, 2026 .

Biography sources checked October 11, 2026 .

### DOJ EOIR current immigration judge directory

Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 19, 2026

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 2.1 - Delivery and Receipt

Courtwide source · HTML · Source checked July 30, 2026

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 2.3 - Documents

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.10 - Interpreters

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.11 - Courtroom Decorum

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.12 - Electronic Devices

### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.15 - Individual Calendar Hearing

### Find an Immigration Court and Access Internet-Based Hearings

### Current EOIR official staff directory

Current EOIR Official Staff Directory source · HTML · Source checked October 7, 2026

[Public Records & Data Use](/public-records-data-use) · [Corrections policy](/corrections)


## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [EOIR Practice Manual 2.1 — Delivery and Receipt](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-c9195b4f0bba01a19aa8df41) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-2-1). Collected 2026-10-27.
- [EOIR Practice Manual 3.11 — Courtroom Decorum](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8d8e8e8bf80478864645291a) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-3-11). Collected 2026-10-27.
- [EOIR Practice Manual 2.3 — Documents](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-53ee093be24c18a5d1a93046) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-2-3). Collected 2026-10-27.
