What is Judge Leah A. O'Brien's background?
EOIR's notice says that Leah A. O'Brien was appointed in February 2026. Judge OBrien earned a Bachelor of Science in 2005 from the University of Georgia, a Juris Doctor in 2008 from the University of Notre Dame Law School, and a Master of Laws in 2020 from the George Washington University Law School. Judge OBrien has been on active duty in the U.S. Navy since 2008 and holds the rank of commander. From 2025 to January 2026, she served as the director of the Navy’s Trial Counsel Assistance Program and the lead national security prosecutor. From 2023 to 2025, she served as the senior prosecutor at Region Legal Service Office, Southwest in San Diego. From 2022 to 2023, she served as the Navy’s complex case prosecutor in Washington, D.C.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Leah A. O'Brien 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 San Diego Immigration Court. The relationship is recorded as listed 2026-10-20; it may include supervisory coverage rather than a merits-hearing assignment.
No outcome or personal-profile claims
This entry does not provide an asylum approval rate, predict a decision, or claim personal background not established by the cited source. Confirm the assigned judge and attendance details from your notice and the court. A change of judge does not by itself change deadlines or excuse attendance.