Judges / District of Arizona

Sharad H Desai

Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Sharad H Desai signed, every one listed below, and the agency-delay suits that name the judge.

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.

Read these counts as a record of past decisions, not a rate at which this judge rules for either side and not a prediction. Each decision turned on its own facts, its posture and what the parties asked for; the suits that reach a written decision are the contested minority. Read the decisions before drawing anything from them.

How the decisions came out

This page counts 5 of the group's written decisions, from 5 cases; the newest of them was decided March 11, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.

5written decisions
5cases 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. 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)1
  • Denied (either side's motion)1
  • Dismissed3

Prevailing party, by case

  • Government4
  • Neither side1

Months from the application to the suit

Fewer than five cases state it (0); no distribution is shown.

Months from the application to the court's decision

Fewer than five decisions state it (1); no distribution is shown.

What the suits asked for, by case

  • Decide the application2
  • Not recorded3

Agency, by case

  • ICE2
  • Not recorded2
  • Department of State1

Form or filing, by case

  • DS-160 (nonimmigrant visa)1
  • I-130 (relative petition)1
  • I-485 (adjustment of status)1
  • I-589 (asylum)1

Decisions by year

TRAC rulings

None of the judge's decisions in the group weighs the TRAC factors.

Every decision, by case

All 5 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 5 cases, newest first. Each case's latest decision comes first and is the one the counts above count; the case's other orders follow it. Download every decision as a spreadsheet (CSV).

DecisionDecidedAgencyFormDispositionPrevailing party
Molina v. Noem March 11, 2026 Not recorded I-589 Granted, neither side prevailed Neither side
Melchiori v. Noem February 9, 2026 ICE I-485 Dismissed Government
Martinez v. Kramar January 8, 2026 Not recorded I-130 Denied in the government's favor Government
Abramian v. Bondi November 17, 2025 ICE Dismissed Government
Chalbatani v. Rubio March 21, 2025 Department of State DS-160 Dismissed Government

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, among the dockets that name this judge. Check a delay counts fewer: a court's suits of the last three years against the form's agency.

9suits in the docket record
8have ended
1still pending
63.5median days from the suit's filing to its end

How the ended suits ended

  • Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.4
  • 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.2
  • Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.2

The record gives no reason for 50% of the suits that ended.

Days from the suit's filing to its end

63.5 days at the median; half fall between 24.8 and 238.8. 8 dockets state it.

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

Fewer than five dockets state it (2); no distribution is shown.

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