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 Monte J Horton earned a Bachelor of Science in 1988 from Ohio State University and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law. He provided legal services to domestic violence victims at Someplace Safe in Warren, Ohio (1992-1993), worked as a public defender and private practitioner in Trumbull County (1993-1995), served as an assistant prosecuting attorney there (1996-2001), and served as a juvenile and domestic relations magistrate in Trumbull County (2001-2019). He is a member of the Ohio State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,435
Completions per year
8,612 total
19.7%
Detained at decision
share of cases
15 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
26.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
5.8%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
60.1%
Appeals remanded or reversed
143 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.
24.4%
Bond requests granted
156 bond decisions Moderate
$15,000
Median bond when set
109 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 24.4%
Court average 37.1% · median $10,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
18.8%
441 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.5%
653 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
43.8%
64 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
0%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
62.9%⚠
35 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
97.6%
541 decisions High confidence
18.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 441 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
18.8%
This court
19.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 38% 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 · 401 decisions since 2021
20.7%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 40 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.
* 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).