# Zol Rainey

Immigration Judge · [Richmond Immigration Adjudication Center](/kyj/court/va/eoir-virginia-richmond-immigration-adjudication-center)

Last updated October 25, 2026

## Zol Rainey at a glance

Current role

Immigration Judge

Court

[Richmond Immigration Adjudication Center](/kyj/court/va/eoir-virginia-richmond-immigration-adjudication-center)

Jurisdiction

Virginia · 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 594 asylum outcomes associated with this judge. Asylum was granted in 58 (9.8%) and denied in 536 (90.2%); 0 were other or procedural outcomes. [Explore analytics](#analytics)

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge Zol D. Rainey is a Unit Chief Immigration Judge at the Charlotte, North Carolina Immigration Court, appointed in December 2021 under President Joe Biden
- Senior Litigation Counsel & Enforcement Attorney, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2012–2021)
- Assistant Chief Counsel, ICE OPLA (2009–2011)
- Assistant Criminal Section Chief & Assistant Attorney General, D.C. Office of the Attorney General (2005–2009)
- Judge Advocate, U.S. Navy (2000–2005)
- LSU Law — Director of the Veterans Law Clinic, providing free legal services to Louisiana veterans and their families
- He is also currently an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice and Director of the William A. Brookshire Veterans Law Clinic at Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center

### Education

- (Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Honors) — George Washington University Law School — LL.M. (2005)
- J.D. — The John Marshall Law School (now University of Illinois at Chicago), 2000
- B.S. in Criminal Justice — Old Dominion University, 1992

### Additional information

- Acting Chief & Deputy Chief, Executive Communications Unit, ICE OPLA (2011–2012)
- Immigration Judge — Continues to hear and decide immigration cases in Charlotte, NC.
- He is a member of the D.C., Illinois, and Virginia State Bars.

## Sources

Identity source checked August 30, 2026 .

Biography sources checked October 11, 2026 .

### DOJ EOIR current immigration judge directory

Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 30, 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

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