Appointed May 2024 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland
2 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Mark D Donovan earned a Bachelor of Arts from The Catholic University of America in 1992, a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University in 2001, and a Juris Doctor from New England Law | Boston in 2008. Before his appointment he was an associate at Considine & Furey LLP (2012-2024) and an assistant district attorney in Bristol County, Massachusetts (2008-2012). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland appointed him to the Boston Immigration Court in May 2024.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
860
Completions per year
5,157 total
3.4%
Detained at decision
share of cases
13.5 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
17%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
4.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
23.1%
Appeals remanded or reversed
169 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
52.1%
582 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.6%
538 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
6 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%
65 decisions Moderate
52.1%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 582 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
52.1%
This court
45.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 17% 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 · 549 decisions since 2021
53%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 33 decisions since 2021
36.4%
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).