Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Francisco Mendez to begin hearing cases in October2018. Judge Mendez earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1992 from Fordham University and a JurisDoctor in 1995 from Fordham Law School. From 2011 to 2018, he was an administrative judgefor the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals, Department of Defense (DOD), in Arlington,Virginia. From 2003 to 2011, he was a trial attorney for DOD, also in Arlington. From 1996 to2016, he served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force, six years on active duty and 14 yearsin the reserves. Judge Mendez is a member of the New York State Bar.