Opinion ID: 4494013
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Pre-merits hearing

Text: In December 2013, Mr. Araiza appeared at his next hearing with his new counsel, Jonathon Shaw, who asked for and received a continuance to review the NTA. After this review, Mr. Araiza submitted pleadings admitting the NTA’s allegations and conceding removability. In March 2014, the IJ found Mr. Araiza removable. Mr. Araiza then applied for cancellation of removal. 2 In a September 2016 hearing, the IJ scheduled the merits hearing on cancellation for January 30, 2018.1 The IJ expressed concern about the absence of documents supporting Mr. Araiza’s cancellation of removal application, such as a “detailed criminal history chart,” and requested them by December 30, 2017. ROA at 64-65. In July 2017, the IJ granted attorney Cristina Uribe-Reyes’s motion to replace Mr. Shaw as Mr. Araiza’s counsel. On November 22, 2017, the IJ granted Ms. Uribe-Reyes’s November 1, 2017 motion to withdraw and declared the merits hearing would still go forward on January 30, 2018.