What is Judge Shawn Hammond's background?
EOIR's notice says that Shawn Hammond was appointed in September 2026. Judge Hammond earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1991 from Augusta State University and a Juris Doctor in 1996 from the University of Mississippi School of Law. From January 2026 to September 2026, he served as an assistant chief counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Columbia, South Carolina. From 1996 to 2026, he worked in private practice managing his own law firm in Augusta, Georgia while also serving in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 2016, as both an enlisted soldier, and a commissioned infantry officer, on both active duty and in the Reserves. During his military service he served in U.S. Military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bolivia, Panama, Honduras, and other countries.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Shawn Hammond 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 Orlando 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.