# Theresa Scala Assistant Chief Immigration Judge · [Portland Immigration Court](/kyj/court/or/portland-immigration-court) Last updated October 7, 2026 ## Theresa Scala at a glance Current role Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Court [Portland Immigration Court](/kyj/court/or/portland-immigration-court) Jurisdiction Oregon · Federal Judicial service Active ## Immigration proceeding outcomes No proceeding outcomes in this EOIR release are matched to this profile. Any separately published asylum statistics are available below. Asylum decisions and other statistics ## Analytics Published EOIR records include 1,292 asylum outcomes associated with this judge. Asylum was granted in 241 (18.7%) and denied in 639 (49.5%); 412 were other or procedural outcomes. [Explore analytics](#analytics) ## Biography ### Professional career - Judicial Appointment: Sworn in as Immigration Judge in May 2010 under President Barack Obama, appointed by Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr - Theresa M. Scala is an Immigration Judge assigned to the Seattle, WA Immigration Court, with a career spanning over 16 years in the U.S. immigration judiciary ### Education ### Additional information - In May 2026, AP News reported Judge Scala as one of four Tacoma immigration judges whose no-bond interpretation subsequently became a Trump administration policy, drawing litigation and criticism Applicable Court Rules & Procedures Rules last checked July 30, 2026 . ### Filing requirements For non-detained individual calendar hearings, advance filings are generally due at least 30 days before the hearing and responses are due within 10 days after the original filing; detained-case deadlines are set by the immigration judge. ### Exhibits Briefs, motions, and exhibits should use consecutive page numbers, and proposed exhibits or supporting documents should include a table of contents identifying page numbers. ### Witnesses A witness list should identify each non-respondent witness, summarize the expected testimony, estimate its length, state the testimony language, and include a CV or resume for an expert. ### Interpreter Request Deadline A respondent or practitioner should request an interpreter no later than 30 days before the hearing at which interpreter services will be needed. ### Addressing The Judge Address the immigration judge as “Your Honor” or “Judge,” and stand when the judge enters and exits the courtroom. ### Oral argument Except when questioning witnesses, direct oral argument and statements to the immigration judge rather than debating the opposing party. ### Recording and broadcasting Only the immigration judge may record a hearing; practitioners of record may use silent electronic devices only for immediately relevant court business and subject to the judge’s control. ### Hearings At an individual calendar hearing, be prepared to make opening and closing statements, raise evidentiary objections, present witnesses and evidence, and cross-examine opposing witnesses. If the hearing medium is uncertain or an internet-based hearing cannot be accessed, contact the hearing immigration court; unrepresented respondents default to in-person hearings. ### Remote appearances Photographing or recording any part of an internet-based immigration hearing is prohibited and may result in penalties. ## Sources Identity source checked August 19, 2026 . Biography sources checked August 19, 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 [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.