New York · est. 2013Friday, September 4, 2026
Inside Immigration

Plain-language guides to US immigration, asylum and USCIS procedure.

Immigration judges

Jody Barilla

Immigration Judge, Chicago Immigration Court. Appointed August 2023.

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

TRAC source →
Judge Barilla43.6%
Chicago court49.0%
All judges nationally62.9%
Decisions on the merits
346
Asylum granted
156
Other relief granted
39
Denied
151
Against own court
-5.4 pts
Denial rate by fiscal year
FY24FY25
36%56%

Read from TRAC's chart to the nearest point. Years with fewer than 25 decisions are not shown.

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 86% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: Mexico (13.6%), Russia (13.6%), Colombia (13%), Nicaragua (10.4%), Venezuela (9.8%).

Official biography

Jody L. Barilla was appointed as an immigration judge to begin hearing cases in August 2023. Judge Barilla ear ned a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 from the Ohio State University and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from Cleveland Marshall College of Law. From 2021 to 2023, she served as the court administrator for the Chicago Immigration Court. From 1997 to 2021, she served as a magistrate at the Lorain County Domestic Relations Court in Elyria, Ohio. During this time, from 2013 to 2021, she also served as the court administrator for the Lorain County Domestic Relations Court. From 1992 to 1997, she worked as an associate attorney with the law firm of Smith & Smith Attorneys. Judge Barilla is a member of the Ohio State Bar.

As published by the Executive Office for Immigration Review at appointment, via TRAC.

In the record

No published reporting or appellate decisions naming this judge have been collected yet.

Other judges at Chicago

Court page →

About these figures. Denial rates describe outcomes in the cases a judge happened to hear, which differ by detention, nationality and representation. They are not a measure of fairness or competence. Method and sources are on the judges index.