Appointed August 2023 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland
3 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Benjamin Davey earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2002 from Otterbein University and a Juris Doctor in 2006 from Cleveland State University College of Law. Before his appointment, he served as a magistrate for the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas (2013-2023), as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Lorain County (2007-2013), and as counsel for the Lorain County General Health District (2011-2013). He also provided pro bono legal services through Catholic Charities (2022-2023).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
571
Completions per year
2,856 total
3.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
10 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
33.5%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
9.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
8.2%
Appeals remanded or reversed
159 appeals decided
Bond decisions
Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021.
"Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
0%⚠
Bond requests granted
2 bond decisions Too few cases
—
Median bond when set
—
Released on own recognizance
This judge 0%
Court average 44.2% · median $8,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
20.6%
378 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.5%
483 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
33.3%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
0%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Voluntary departure
82.6%⚠
23 decisions Too few cases
20.6%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 378 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
20.6%
This court
29.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 41% of the 825 judges nationally with enough cases to compare.
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyerrepresented · 341 decisions since 2021
22.9%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 37 decisions since 2021
0%
Asylum grant rate over time
Each point is that calendar year's grant rate, back to 2015 where the judge was deciding cases — the longer career view. Dashed grey line = current national average (31.8%). Headline rates above use 2021 – today.
Courts where this judge has decided cases
Hearing locations for cases this judge completed since 2021, by number of decisions.
Many judges hear cases from more than one court (detained facilities, video dockets, or reassignments).