Courts / Fourth Circuit
District of South Carolina
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 23 of the group's written decisions, from 19 cases; the newest of them was decided September 22, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.
23written decisions
19cases they come from
0decisions weigh the TRAC factors
–median months from the application to the suit
Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here: the 4 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
Fewer than five cases state it (4); no distribution is shown.
2 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
35 months at the median; half fall between 18.9 and 43.9. 12 decisions state it.
What the suits asked for, by case
- Decide the application11
- Naturalization hearing or remand (1447(b))2
- Issue a work permit1
- Some other action3
- Not recorded2
Decisions by year
Download these 23 decisions as a spreadsheet (CSV).
Examples
The newest case with each of the most common dispositions, by its latest decision.
D.S.C., September 22, 2026. Dismissed; prevailing party: government.
D.S.C., July 2, 2026. Dismissed in part; some claims go on; prevailing party: each side in part.
D.S.C., September 16, 2019. 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.
212suits in the docket record
188have ended
24still pending
111median 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.123
- 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.32
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.21
- Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).5
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.5
- Judgment for the plaintiffA consent, default or other judgment for the plaintiff.1
- TransferredMoved to another district court.1
Days from the suit's filing to its end
111 days at the median; half fall between 64 and 224.8. 188 dockets state it.
Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted
90 days at the median; half fall between 59 and 148. 123 dockets state it.
29 of these suits have a written decision in the group.
Download the 212 suits in the docket record as a spreadsheet (CSV).