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 Matthew E Morrissey earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2001 from Saint Louis University and a Juris Doctor in 2004 from Creighton University School of Law. Before his appointment, he served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (2008-2017) and as an associate attorney with the Chandra Law Office (2004-2008).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,236
Completions per year
7,416 total
30.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
18.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
11.7%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
10.9%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
28.7%
Appeals remanded or reversed
181 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.
24.1%
Bond requests granted
772 bond decisions High confidence
$6,000
Median bond when set
167 bonds with amounts
2.7%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 24.1%
Court average 21.8% · 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
4.7%
918 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.8%
1,068 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
7.1%
113 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
25.5%⚠
47 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
16%⚠
25 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
69.6%
381 decisions High confidence
4.7%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 918 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
4.7%
This court
4%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 7% 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 · 776 decisions since 2021
5.2%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 142 decisions since 2021
2.1%
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).