What is Judge Thomas Shaia's background?
EOIR's notice says that Thomas Shaia was appointed in September 2026. Judge Shaia earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1985 from George Mason University and a Juris Doctor in 1988 from Case Western Reserve School of Law. From September 2020 to September 2026, he was a managing partner at Shaia’s Law PLLC in Mechanicsville, Virginia. From September 2019 to October 2021, he served as the director of investigations for Queens of Virginia, in Richmond, Virginia. From February 2016 to September 2019, he served as a deputy commonwealth’s attorney for the City of Suffolk, Virginia. From August 2006 to February 2016, he served as a deputy commonwealth’s attorney for the County of Spotsylvania, Virginia.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Thomas Shaia 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 Indianapolis 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.