Source: EOIR — Find an Immigration Court.
Recording an internet-based hearing is prohibited (8 C.F.R. § 1003.28). Respondents without a representative default to in-person hearings.
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Forrest W. Hoover III earned a Bachelor of Science in 1999 from Drexel University, a Juris Doctor in 2008 from Temple University Beasley School of Law, and a Master of Laws in criminal law in 2012 from the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps, serving from 2008 to 2019 as a judge advocate, defense counsel, prosecutor, and military judge at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and in Okinawa, Japan, with earlier service as a logistics officer (1999-2005). He is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,976
Completions per year
11,855 total
2.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
21.6 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
31.6%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
6.6%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
2.6%
Appeals remanded or reversed
115 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.
50%⚠
Bond requests granted
4 bond decisions Too few cases
$3,250
Median bond when set
2 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 50%
Court average 0%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
21.8%
1,004 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.2%
1,461 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
45.5%
134 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
77.8%⚠
9 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
91.5%
71 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
99.6%
247 decisions High confidence
21.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,004 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
21.8%
This court
38.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 44% 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 · 963 decisions since 2021
22.4%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 41 decisions since 2021
7.3%
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.
* 2026 is a partial year (data through 06/01/2026) and is incomplete.
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).