Opinion ID: 2718855
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: 1998: An All-Important Year

Text: The government began removal proceedings on October 16, 2008. Though the spouses conceded removability, they applied for cancellation of removal. To obtain this relief, the couple had to prove continuous residence in the United States from October 16, 1998, to October 16, 2008 (with allowances for certain temporary departures). See 8 U.S.C. § 1229b. At a 2008 hearing, the couple’s first attorney (Gita Kapur) submitted documentary evidence, which included: (1) paystubs showing that Mr. Martinez had worked in the United States in 1998, and (2) records showing that the couple’s minor child had been vaccinated in the United States throughout 1998. The couple then relocated and obtained a second hearing with new counsel (David Senseney). At the second hearing, Mr. Senseney presented evidence of residence from 1999 to 2010, but he did not present any evidence from 1998 or refer to the 1998 evidence previously submitted by Ms. Kapur. The immigration judge denied relief, relying in part on discrepancies in the testimony. But the immigration judge also relied on a factual finding that the documentary evidence had not “address[ed] [Mr. Martinez’s] presence in October of 1998.” R. at 418. Mr. Senseney appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals, but did not challenge any of the immigration judge’s rulings. Without any argument based on the immigration judge’s decision, the Board dismissed the appeal. 3 Thereafter, the couple hired a third attorney (Jennaweh Leyba), who filed a motion to reopen based on ineffective representation of counsel. The couple argued that their second attorney, Mr. Senseney, had performed ineffectively by failing to submit evidence of continuous residence since October 16, 1998. The Board denied the motion, stating that the evidence “regarding [the couple’s] physical presence in the United States between 1997 and 1998 appear[ed] to be the same or substantially similar to the evidence considered by the Immigration Judge.” Id. at 3.