Courts / Ninth Circuit
Southern 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 59 of the group's written decisions, from 54 cases; the newest of them was decided September 30, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.
59written decisions
54cases they come from
16decisions weigh the TRAC factors
19.4median months from the application to the suit
Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here: the 5 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
Months from the application to the suit
19.4 months at the median; half fall between 13.6 and 31.9. 27 cases state it.
4 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
27.5 months at the median; half fall between 19.9 and 42.2. 36 decisions state it.
Leaves out the 6 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 application12
- Finish 221(g) processing16
- Decide the asylum application5
- Naturalization hearing or remand (1447(b))4
- Some other action9
- Not recorded8
Decisions by year
Download these 59 decisions as a spreadsheet (CSV).
Examples
The newest case with each of the most common dispositions, by its latest decision.
S.D. Cal., September 30, 2026. Dismissed; prevailing party: government.
S.D. Cal., August 20, 2025. Granted; prevailing party: government.
S.D. Cal., August 30, 2024. Denied; prevailing party: applicant.
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.
485suits in the docket record
446have ended
39still pending
122.5median 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.290
- 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.50
- TransferredMoved to another district court.37
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.34
- Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).21
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.14
Days from the suit's filing to its end
122.5 days at the median; half fall between 62.2 and 225. 446 dockets state it.
Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted
124.5 days at the median; half fall between 65 and 224.5. 290 dockets state it.
66 of these suits have a written decision in the group.
Download the 485 suits in the docket record as a spreadsheet (CSV).