New Immigration Judges for the Virginia and Maryland Courts Near Washington, D.C.
Immigration courts: Annandale Immigration Court, Hyattsville Immigration Court, Sterling Immigration Court · Washington, D.C. Area Immigration Courts
On September 24, 2026, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the Justice Department agency that runs the immigration courts, announced its latest class of immigration judges. It was the third monthly class since July to include new judges for the courts that serve the Washington, D.C. area. Between the July 29, August 27 and September 24, 2026 announcements, EOIR assigned 13 judges to the Sterling and Annandale courts in Northern Virginia, the Hyattsville court in Maryland, and the Richmond Immigration Adjudication Center. If you have a case at one of these courts, your judge may change, but your case, your deadlines and your duty to appear do not.
This is general information, not legal advice. The sources are EOIR's own press releases and judge biographies, starting with the September 24, 2026 announcement (opens in new tab) and its biographical summaries (opens in new tab).
The new judges, court by court
EOIR's biographies list these assignments:
- Sterling Immigration Court (Virginia): Raymond J. Hartsough (July 2026), Meghan K. Lackey (August 2026), and Christy J. Kisner and Dennis B. Kohlhoff Jr. (September 2026).
- Annandale Immigration Court (Virginia): Jorene Soto (August 2026, after serving as a temporary immigration judge since February 2026), Samantha Diane Ellis (September 2026), and temporary immigration judge Jeremy R. Brooks (September 2026).
- Hyattsville Immigration Court (Maryland): Gurney F. Pearsall III (July 2026, after serving as a temporary immigration judge since February 2026) and Michael J. Hussey (August 2026, after serving as a temporary immigration judge since October 2025).
- Richmond Immigration Adjudication Center (Virginia): James V. Ingold (July 2026), Mark A. Tomicich (August 2026), Jordan D'Angelo (September 2026), and temporary immigration judge Mark D. Baker (September 2026).
The July 29 (opens in new tab) announcement also named Yamileth G. Davila as Regional Deputy Chief Immigration Judge – East. The August 27 (opens in new tab) announcement covered the August class.
For Pearsall, Hussey and Soto, the change is from temporary to permanent immigration judge at the court they were already assigned to, according to their EOIR biographies.
Who supervises these courts
Each immigration court reports to an Assistant Chief Immigration Judge (ACIJ). According to the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (opens in new tab) page (updated September 22, 2026):
- John Cody Barnes, appointed Assistant Chief Immigration Judge in July 2026: Annandale and Richmond IAC.
- Robert K. Lundberg, Acting Assistant Chief Immigration Judge since January 2026: Annandale, Falls Church IAC and Sterling.
- Kuyomars Golparvar, Acting Assistant Chief Immigration Judge since January 2026: Baltimore and Hyattsville.
The Annandale court page (opens in new tab) lists Barnes as its Assistant Chief Immigration Judge. Our Falls Church court page and our guide to the Washington, D.C.-area immigration courts explain which court hears which cases.
What this means if you have a case
When a court adds judges, pending cases may be moved to a different judge at the same court, and hearing dates can change. The court should send a new hearing notice if your date changes, but mail gets lost and addresses go out of date.
A new judge does not restart your case. The applications, evidence and deadlines already set in your case still apply unless the court changes them in writing.
What to do now
From the point of view of a former Immigration Judge, these are the steps that matter most:
- Check your case in EOIR's automated case information system. Enter your A-number at acis.eoir.justice.gov (opens in new tab) to see your next hearing date, time and court. Check it again before every hearing, not only when mail arrives.
- Keep your address current. If you move, file Form EOIR-33 with the immigration court within five days. Hearing notices go to the last address you gave the court.
- Never miss a hearing. If you do not appear, the judge can order you removed in absentia (without you there). Undoing that order later is difficult; see our guide to motions to reopen.
- Talk to a lawyer before a hearing, especially if your judge or hearing date has changed and you are unsure what comes next. Our explainer on removal proceedings walks through each stage.
If you have a case in Sterling, Annandale, Hyattsville, Baltimore, Richmond or Falls Church, Carlos Maury, former U.S. Immigration Judge, and our team can review where your case stands. Contact us or call (213) 769-0050.
Frequently asked questions
Will my case get a new judge?
It may. When EOIR adds judges to a court, some pending cases can be reassigned. Your hearing notice and the ACIS system show your current hearing information.
Does a new judge mean my hearing is cancelled?
No. Unless you receive a new notice, your hearing stays on the date and time you were given. Check ACIS before the hearing to confirm.
What is a temporary immigration judge?
It is an immigration judge appointed for a limited period. EOIR's September 24, 2026 announcement named Jeremy R. Brooks (Annandale) and Mark D. Baker (Richmond IAC) as temporary immigration judges.
I moved. How do I tell the court?
File Form EOIR-33 with the immigration court that has your case, within five days of the move. If you do not, you may not receive notice of a new hearing date.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Court assignments and hearing dates can change; confirm your case information at acis.eoir.justice.gov (opens in new tab) and the official EOIR announcements (opens in new tab), and consult a qualified attorney about your specific situation.
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