What is Judge Stephanie Cotton's background?
EOIR's notice says that Stephanie Cotton was appointed in August 2026. Judge Cotton earned an Associate of Science in 1998 from Prince Institute of Professional Studies in Court Reporting, a Bachelor of Science in 2002 from Faulkner University, and a Juris Doctor in 2006 from Thomas Goode Jones School of Law. From June 2023 to August 2026, she served as a legal counsel and hearing officer in the Legal Division, Department of Finance, for the State of Alabama in Montgomery. From 2007 to 2023, she was a sole practitioner in Andalusia, Alabama, doing business as South Alabama Law beginning in April 2011, and also served as a county attorney for Covington County, Alabama, and as a municipal judge for the Town of River Falls, Alabama.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Stephanie Cotton 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 LaSalle 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.