What is Judge Samantha Ellis's background?
EOIR's notice says that Samantha Ellis was appointed in September 2026. Judge Ellis earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2004 from the University of South Florida and a Juris Doctor in 2007 from Florida Coastal School of Law. From August 2022 to September 2026, she served as chief of Navy legal assistance policy, and from September 2014 to August 2022, she served as a supervisory civilian subject matter expert, with the Naval Legal Service Command, Department of the Navy in Pensacola, Florida. with Naval Legal Service Command, Department of the Navy in Pensacola, Florida. From July 2011 to September 2014, she was a partner and senior managing attorney at McDaniel & Ellis PA in Pensacola, Florida. From July 2010 to July 2011, she was an associate attorney at Perry & Young PA in Panama City, Florida. From January 2008 to July 2010, she served as an assistant state attorney at the Bay County State Attorney's Office in Panama City, Florida.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Samantha Ellis 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 Annandale 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.