What is Judge Patrick A. Espana's background?
EOIR's notice says that Patrick A. Espana was appointed in June 2026. Judge Espana earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1993 from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of New Mexico and a Juris Doctorate in 1997 from the University of New Mexico School of Law. From May 2024 to May 2026, he was an assistant chief counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Seattle. From November 2011 to May 2024, he served as an administrative law judge at the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings in Seattle. From July 2007 to November 2011, he served as a hearing officer for the State of Washington Department of Licensing. From October 1998 to June 2007, he served as an attorney for the Washington State Department of Child Support, and prior to this, he served as an attorney for the law firm of Bogle & Gates PLLC in Seattle.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Patrick A. Espana 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 Concord 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.