Appointed April 2021 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland(AG inferred from date)
5 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge David Robertson earned a Bachelor of Science in 1986 from James Madison University, a Juris Doctor in 1989 from the University of Richmond School of Law, and a Master of Laws in 1999 from the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School. From 1990 to 2020, he served as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate in various locations in the United States and Germany, retiring at the rank of Colonel, and from 2010 to 2020 he served as a military judge. He was appointed a unit chief immigration judge at the Boston Immigration Court. Judge Robertson is a member of the Virginia State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
167
Completions per year
667 total
8.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
33.9 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
21.3%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
24.4%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
18.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
49 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.
9.1%⚠
Bond requests granted
11 bond decisions Too few cases
$7,500
Median bond when set
3 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 9.1%
Court average 26.6% · median $6,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
5.9%
153 decisions Moderate
Withholding / CAT
1%
287 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
0%⚠
15 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
33.3%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
92%⚠
25 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
50%⚠
16 decisions Too few cases
5.9%
of asylum claims granted on the merits Moderate
Based on 153 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
5.9%
This court
45.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 9% 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 · 148 decisions since 2021
6.1%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 5 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).