EOIR Portal Shows a Different Hearing Date or Court Location: What Should You Do?
You had a Master Calendar Hearing on August 31 at the Hyattsville Immigration Court in Maryland. You appeared for your hearing, but the court did not have an interpreter available. The immigration judge therefore rescheduled the Master Calendar Hearing for November 2.
Later, you check your case information through the EOIR system and see something completely different—for example, a hearing date of September 21 at 10:00 a.m. You may also notice that the address shown online does not appear to be the same Hyattsville location where your case was previously heard.
This can understandably create a serious concern:
Which date should you follow? Which court should you go to? Could missing the date shown online result in problems with your immigration case?
The safest approach is to verify the discrepancy directly with the immigration court and rely on the official hearing documentation rather than assuming that an online entry is correct.
The EOIR Online System Is Helpful—but It Is Not Your Only Source of Information
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) provides an Automated Case Information System that allows respondents and others to check basic case information.
However, EOIR expressly warns that online case information may not contain everything about a case. EOIR also states that court documents, including hearing notices, are the official source of hearing information.
This distinction becomes particularly important when the immigration judge has announced a new hearing date in court but the electronic system appears to show a different date.
For example, if the judge told you on August 31 that your next Master Calendar Hearing would be November 2, but the online system later shows September 21, you should not simply assume that November 2 is correct without verifying the discrepancy.
Likewise, do not assume that the September 21 date is correct merely because it appears in the online portal.
What Should You Do If the Judge Said November 2 but EOIR Shows September 21?
The first step should be to determine whether there is an actual new hearing scheduled for September 21.
Contact the immigration court handling your case as soon as possible and explain the discrepancy.
If your case is handled by the Hyattsville Immigration Court, EOIR currently lists the court at:
Hyattsville Immigration Court
3311 Toledo Road, Suite 105
Hyattsville, MD 20782
EOIR currently lists the court's general telephone number as 301-955-3600 and its general inquiry email as Hyattsville.Immigration.Court@usdoj.gov.
When contacting the court, have your information ready, including:
Your full name
Your A-Number
The date of your August 31 hearing
The immigration judge's name, if known
The date the judge announced for the next hearing
The September 21 date appearing in the online system
The time shown online
The different court address appearing online
Ask the court to confirm the next scheduled Master Calendar Hearing date, time, and location.
Do Not Ignore the September 21 Date
This is especially important.
If the online system says September 21 but you were told in court that the case was continued to November 2, you should not simply ignore September 21.
Until the discrepancy has been resolved, treat it as something that needs immediate confirmation.
EOIR's current guidance says that people who need clarification about their hearing date and time should contact the immigration court handling the case. EOIR also says that following issuance of a new hearing notice, the information will be updated.
Therefore, the safest course is:
Verify first. Do not guess.
Check Whether You Received a Written Hearing Notice
Look carefully through any documents you received at or after the August 31 hearing.
You may have received a written notice showing the new hearing date.
If the judge announced November 2 and you received a written hearing notice confirming November 2, keep that document in a safe place.
If you did not receive a written notice, contact the court and ask how the November 2 hearing was recorded and whether a new Notice of Hearing has been issued.
EOIR explains that the Automated Case Information system may not immediately reflect a new hearing date until the immigration court has set the new date.
What If the Court Address Is Different?
A different address in the EOIR system should also be investigated.
There are multiple immigration court locations in Maryland. EOIR currently lists both Hyattsville and Baltimore immigration courts.
The current Hyattsville Immigration Court address is:
3311 Toledo Road, Suite 105, Hyattsville, MD 20782.
The Baltimore Immigration Court is listed at:
George Fallon Federal Building
31 Hopkins Plaza, Room 440
Baltimore, MD 21201.
Therefore, if your case was previously being heard in Hyattsville but your online information appears to point to another location, do not assume that you have been transferred.
A case can potentially be transferred or assigned differently, but you should look for an official notice confirming any change.
EOIR's materials concerning transfers indicate that when a case is transferred to another immigration court, the parties receive a Notice of Hearing identifying the new court location.
Could This Be an EOIR System Update Problem?
It is possible for information displayed in an electronic case-information system to differ temporarily from what you were told or what appears in your court documents.
EOIR itself cautions that its Automated Case Information system provides only basic information and that not all case information is displayed.
That is why respondents should not rely exclusively on a portal entry when there is a conflict.
The important question is not simply:
"What does the website say?"
The important question is:
"What is the immigration court's officially scheduled hearing date and location for my case?"
What About the Missing Interpreter?
The interpreter issue is also important.
EOIR's current Policy Manual states that the immigration court will arrange for an interpreter when necessary for a respondent whose command of English is inadequate to fully understand and participate in the proceedings. EOIR also says interpreter requests should generally be made no later than 30 days before the next hearing when interpreter services will be needed.
For a Master Calendar Hearing, EOIR specifically provides a procedure for requesting an interpreter. The request should identify the language and, where applicable, the specific dialect needed.
Therefore, if the August 31 hearing was postponed because an interpreter was unavailable, it is sensible to make sure the court knows exactly what language and dialect will be required for the next hearing.
Do not assume that the court will automatically know every detail about the language needed.
What If You Need an Interpreter for the November Hearing?
If the next hearing really is November 2 and you need an interpreter, confirm that the interpreter request is properly recorded.
EOIR's current guidance says a written motion requesting an interpreter should contain information such as:
The language requested
The specific dialect, if applicable
Geographic location where the dialect is spoken, if relevant
Other languages in which the respondent is fluent
Other information that may help the court select an appropriate interpreter.
This is particularly important if the respondent speaks a regional dialect that may differ significantly from another version of the same language.
Should You File a Motion?
Not every discrepancy between the online portal and the hearing information automatically requires a motion.
First, contact the immigration court and determine what the official docket actually shows.
If the court confirms that November 2 is the scheduled hearing but the online system continues to show September 21, ask the court what you should do and keep documentation of your efforts to resolve the discrepancy.
If the court confirms that September 21 is actually scheduled, you should not rely solely on what you remember from the August 31 hearing.
And if you have an attorney or accredited representative, contact them immediately and provide screenshots or copies of the conflicting information.
What If You Cannot Reach the Court?
If you cannot immediately reach the immigration court by telephone, continue trying and use the official contact information listed by EOIR.
Keep a record of:
Dates you called
Approximate times you called
Who you spoke with, if anyone
Emails sent
Responses received
Screenshots of the online case information
Copies of all hearing notices
Do not delete the conflicting portal information before documenting it.
A screenshot showing the September 21 date and time can be useful when asking the court or your attorney to investigate the discrepancy.
Should You Go to Court on September 21?
There is no universal answer without knowing what the official court record says.
That is exactly why this type of discrepancy should be resolved directly with the immigration court.
If the court confirms that September 21 is an actual scheduled hearing, you should follow the court's instructions.
If the court confirms that November 2 is the correct date and that September 21 is not a hearing for your case, keep evidence of that confirmation.
The critical point is not to make the decision based solely on an assumption about which system is "probably" correct.
What If a Hearing Date Is Changed?
EOIR's rules also contain an important warning concerning motions to continue.
A request to continue a hearing generally should be made by written motion, and filing a motion does not itself excuse a respondent from appearing at a scheduled hearing. Until the motion is granted, the parties are expected to appear at the scheduled hearing.
This illustrates a broader principle:
Do not assume that filing a request or asking for a change automatically cancels a scheduled hearing.
The court must actually grant the requested change.
A Simple Action Plan
If your situation looks like:
August 31: You appeared for the Master Calendar Hearing.
August 31: The interpreter was unavailable.
August 31: The judge rescheduled the hearing for November 2.
Afterward: EOIR online information shows September 21 at 10:00 a.m. and possibly a different court address.
A practical action plan is:
1. Save a screenshot of the EOIR information.
Save the date, time, court location and any other information displayed.
2. Find your written hearing notice or court paperwork.
Look for a Notice of Hearing or other document showing the next hearing.
3. Contact the immigration court.
Ask specifically:
"Can you please confirm the next Master Calendar Hearing date, time, and location for my A-Number?"
4. Explain the discrepancy.
Tell the court that the judge stated November 2 at the August 31 hearing, but the online case system currently shows September 21 at 10:00 a.m.
5. Confirm the court location.
Ask whether the case remains at Hyattsville or has been transferred to another immigration court.
6. Confirm the interpreter.
Tell the court what language and dialect you need for the next hearing.
7. If represented, contact your attorney immediately.
Send the attorney the screenshot and any written hearing notice.
8. Keep proof of your communications.
Save emails, notices, screenshots and notes from telephone calls.
What If You Have No Lawyer?
If you are representing yourself, you should still contact the immigration court directly.
EOIR provides information and self-help resources for respondents, including information about immigration court procedures.
You may also want to seek advice from a qualified immigration attorney or an accredited representative, particularly when there is a conflict concerning a hearing date or court location.
EOIR maintains a list of organizations that provide free or low-cost legal services to qualifying individuals in immigration proceedings.
Important: Do Not Assume a Portal Error Means You Can Miss Court
This is probably the most important point in the entire situation.
A discrepancy in an online case-information system should not be treated as permission to skip a hearing.
If you are uncertain whether September 21 or November 2 is the operative date, obtain confirmation from the immigration court or your attorney as quickly as possible.
EOIR itself directs individuals who need clarification about hearing information to contact the immigration court handling their case.
Conclusion
If an immigration judge tells you that your Master Calendar Hearing has been rescheduled, but the EOIR online portal later displays a different hearing date or court address, do not guess which information is correct.
Check the written court notice, preserve screenshots of the online information, and contact the immigration court handling your case to confirm the exact date, time and location.
If the case is at the Hyattsville Immigration Court, EOIR currently lists the court at 3311 Toledo Road, Suite 105, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, with the court telephone number 301-955-3600.
And if an interpreter is required, make sure the court knows the precise language and dialect needed well before the next hearing. EOIR's current policy specifically addresses interpreter requests for immigration court proceedings.
When there is a conflict between what appears online and what happened in court, the safest response is simple:
Verify the hearing with the immigration court—do not rely on assumptions.
Official Sources
Disclaimer
This article is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Immigration cases are highly fact-specific, and hearing dates, court locations, procedures and policies can change. If your EOIR case shows conflicting information or you are uncertain about an upcoming hearing, contact the immigration court handling your case or consult a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative promptly. Missing an immigration court hearing can have serious consequences.
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