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 Scott Bratton earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1993 from Ohio Northern University and a Juris Doctor in 1997 from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. From 2020 to 2022, he served as a partner at Martin Jolic & Bratton, LLC in Independence, Ohio. He previously was a partner at Margaret Wong & Associates LLC, where he had also been an associate attorney from 2001 to 2004, and from 1997 to 2001 he was in private practice in Cincinnati. He is a member of the Ohio State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
776
Completions per year
4,658 total
3.7%
Detained at decision
share of cases
15.6 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
20.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
19.9%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
3.5%
Appeals remanded or reversed
255 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.
37.5%⚠
Bond requests granted
24 bond decisions Too few cases
$6,000
Median bond when set
9 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 37.5%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
18.6%
1,362 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.1%
1,904 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
3.1%⚠
32 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
2 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
63.6%⚠
22 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
95.2%
104 decisions Moderate
18.6%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,362 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
18.6%
This court
33.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 37% 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 · 1,136 decisions since 2021
20.6%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 226 decisions since 2021
8.8%
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).