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Master Calender Hearing
Master Calender Hearing
Suppose you are a foreign national detained by U.S. immigration officers, and removal proceedings have been brought against you. In that case, you may be subject to several different hearings.
The Master Calendar Hearing is an initial hearing during which the Immigration Judge (and a government attorney) will allow you to verify the charges brought against you and admit or deny such accusations. You will then be allowed to notify the judge of the various forms of relief you are attempting to take advantage of, such as asylum or withholding of removal. Finally, a schedule will be set for your case, and deadlines will be established for various applications you may be attempting to file. If extensions are desired, you may request them during the Master Calendar Hearing.
Given the procedural complexities involved in a Master Calendar Hearing, you must consult a qualified immigration attorney who can guide you along the process and ensure that your interests are adequately represented before, during, and after the hearing. At Willy, Nanayakkara & Associates, we are compassionate and thorough representatives who routinely guide clients through the challenging removal process and have helped many clients avoid unfavorable results.
If you are not eligible to be released on bond, then you will be detained until your immigration case is complete. This lengthy process can put significant strain on families, and on various other interests that you may have. A Bond Hearing is essentially a hearing (presided over by an Immigration Judge) to determine whether you are eligible to be released on bond.
The Immigration Judge has full discretion whether to grant bond or deny bond. In making the decision to grant or deny bond, the judge will have to consider the weight of the evidence and determine whether you present a risk (flight risk, security risk, etc.). For example, if you were detained after threatening an innocent person in the street, then the court may consider you too dangerous and may choose to keep you detained.
In fact, even if there is no evidence weighing against you, the judge may simply choose to deny bond. Effective advocacy therefore requires skilled and persuasive argument before the Immigration Judge.
Your Bond Hearing will typically occur before your Master Calendar Hearing, and oftentimes on the same day (before the Master Calendar Hearing). It’s important to note, however, that despite this closeness in timing, there is no significant connection between your Bond Hearing and your Master Calendar Hearing.
If you would like help regarding business immigration, family-based immigration, and immigration-related litigation, or if you have questions about any other immigration-related issue, we encourage you to get in touch. To speak with one of our highly-experienced immigration attorneys in confidence, please call 888-529-5990 or request an appointment online today.