What is Judge John Odell's background?
TRAC reports that John Odell was appointed in April 2013. Judge Odell received a bachelor of science degree in 1983 from the United States Coast Guard Academy and a juris doctorate in 1994 from the Seattle University School of Law. From October 2007 to April 2013, he served as an assistant chief counsel, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in Seattle, Wash., where, from December 2008 to December 2010, he served as a special assistant U.S. attorney. From 1997 to 2007, Judge Odell served in the U.S. Coast Guard where he held various legal positions, including staff judge advocate, 13th Coast Guard District, Seattle, and Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn.; military judge, U.S. Coast Guard; senior defense counsel, Naval Legal Services Office, Bremerton, Wash.; and assistant legal officer, 13th Coast Guard District.
What does TRAC report about Judge John Odell's asylum decisions?
TRAC, a research center that began at Syracuse University, reports that for FY 2021 - 2026 (data covers the first 9 months of fiscal year 2026), Judge John Odell decided 300 asylum cases at Tacoma Immigration Court and denied 74.3 percent, based on its report of Aug 27, 2026. These are past figures for one court. They do not predict your case, which turns on your facts, evidence, nationality and representation, and TRAC cautions against simple comparisons between judges at different courts. Read the full report at TRAC, and talk to a lawyer about your own case.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name John Odell in 1 alphabetical row. The recorded title is Immigration Judge. The record is not an appointment history or an employment certification.
Dated court associations
EOIR’s court-specific tables associate this entry with Tacoma Immigration Court. The relationship is recorded as listed 2026-10-20; it may include supervisory coverage rather than a merits-hearing assignment.