Courts / Ninth Circuit

Central District of California

Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group from this court, and the agency-delay suits filed there.

2,914 written decisions from 2,661 cases in the whole mandamus and agency-delay group, the group's newest decided October 30, 2026. Updated November 3, 2026 at 1:24 a.m. CT; the Passim connector counts the live collection, which can differ by the day's additions and retirements (which total to quote). Coverage: of the 1,606 public decisions since January 1, 2025 that a CourtListener and GovInfo search for mandamus and agency delay finds, Passim holds 1,371 (85%), measured November 3, 2026. Some of what that search finds are not mandamus decisions. Tell us about a decision we're missing.

These are counts of past written decisions and dockets, not predictions of how any case will be decided. A distribution appears only when at least 5 decisions (or 5 dockets) are behind it; smaller groups are listed, not summarized. How it's counted.

How the decisions came out

This page counts 91 of the group's written decisions, from 84 cases; the newest of them was decided October 26, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.

91written decisions
84cases they come from
11decisions weigh the TRAC factors
33.6median months from the application to the suit

Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here: the 7 other orders in those cases are listed with their case, not counted again. A motion to dismiss denied and a later judgment for the government count as the judgment. How decisions are grouped into cases.

Disposition, by case

  • Granted (either side's motion)8
  • Granted in part3
  • Denied (either side's motion)11
  • Dismissed28
  • Dismissed in part; some claims go on7
  • Dismissed as moot6
  • Remanded to the agency1
  • Stipulated or agreed order19
  • Attorney's fees1

Prevailing party, by case

  • Applicant10
  • Government39
  • Each side in part10
  • Neither side25

Months from the application to the suit

33.6 months at the median; half fall between 7.3 and 50.6. 27 cases state it.

3 of these are section 1447(b) naturalization suits, whose months run from the application; the statute's 120 days run from the interview, which these figures do not measure.

Months from the application to the court's decision

47.8 months at the median; half fall between 14.1 and 62.2. 39 decisions state it.

Leaves out the 5 decisions holding that the agency had acted: their months to the decision are not a delay.

What the suits asked for, by case

  • Decide the application24
  • Finish 221(g) processing7
  • Decide the asylum application31
  • Naturalization hearing or remand (1447(b))3
  • Issue a work permit1
  • Some other action9
  • Not recorded9

Agency, by case

  • USCIS41
  • Not recorded25
  • Department of State10
  • ICE5
  • EOIR2
  • DHS1

Form or filing, by case

  • I-589 (asylum)31
  • I-485 (adjustment of status)15
  • DS-260 (immigrant visa)10
  • 221(g) (consular refusal)8
  • I-130 (relative petition)4
  • I-526E (investor petition)4
  • N-400 (naturalization)3
  • DS-160 (nonimmigrant visa)2
  • I-360 (special immigrant petition)2
  • I-730 (refugee or asylee relative petition)1
  • I-914 (T visa)1
  • I-918 (U visa)1

Decisions by year

Download these 91 decisions as a spreadsheet (CSV).

Examples

The newest case with each of the most common dispositions, by its latest decision.

How agency-delay suits ended

Most suits end without a written decision: the agency acts and the parties dismiss. These counts come from the docket record (the federal courts' Integrated Database and CourtListener) and count every mandamus, APA and section 1447(b) suit against any immigration agency, whatever year it was filed. Check a delay counts fewer: a court's suits of the last three years against the form's agency.

8,693suits in the docket record
8,418have ended
275still pending
88median days from the suit's filing to its end

How the ended suits ended

  • Ended once the agency actedThe plaintiff dismissed, the parties stipulated to dismissal, or the court dismissed as moot: how suits end once the agency decides. The docket rarely says why, or whether the agency approved or denied.5,409
  • Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.1,297
  • Dismissed, ground not recordedThe court dismissed and the record gives no ground: it can be a dismissal as moot after the agency acted, for want of prosecution, or a loss.1,273
  • Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.224
  • Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).142
  • TransferredMoved to another district court.49
  • Judgment for the plaintiffA consent, default or other judgment for the plaintiff.24

The record gives no reason for 15% of the suits that ended.

Days from the suit's filing to its end

88 days at the median; half fall between 57 and 160. 8,418 dockets state it.

Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted

93 days at the median; half fall between 58 and 179. 5,409 dockets state it.

216 of these suits have a written decision in the group.

Download the 8,693 suits in the docket record as a spreadsheet (CSV).