John D. Bates
Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge John D. Bates 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 29 of the group's written decisions, from 27 cases; the newest of them was decided June 29, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.
29written decisions
27cases they come from
15decisions weigh the TRAC factors
19.8median months from the application to the suit
Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here: the 2 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
19.8 months at the median; half fall between 13.3 and 27.8. 14 cases state it.
Months from the application to the court's decision
29.2 months at the median; half fall between 23.8 and 50.5. 20 decisions state it.
Leaves out the 3 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 application9
- Schedule an interview2
- Finish 221(g) processing8
- Decide the asylum application1
- Some other action4
- Not recorded3
Agency, by case
Decisions by year
TRAC rulings
Decisions in which the judge weighed the TRAC factors, newest first, with how the judge found each factor. Factors the decision did not reach are left blank.
| Decision | Decided | 1. Rule of reason | 2. Congressional timetable | 3. Human health and welfare | 4. Competing priorities | 5. Interests prejudiced | 6. No impropriety needed | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEREZ CORREA CAMARENA v. NOEM | June 29, 2026 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Hojjatoleslami v. Blinken | July 30, 2025 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Diabin v. Mangis | July 2, 2025 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| MAKTTOOF v. BLINKEN | March 27, 2025 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Makttoof v. Blinken | March 27, 2025 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Adan v. Blinken | December 19, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| CHENG v. BLINKEN | September 30, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Baygan v. Blinken | August 8, 2024 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| ALAM v. BITTER | July 23, 2024 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Tahavori v. Blinken | March 28, 2024 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | Dismissed |
| Khamidova v. Blinken | September 27, 2022 | neutral | favors the government | neutral | neutral | Denied in the government's favor | ||
| Meyou v. United States Department of State | May 17, 2022 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Gorgadze v. Blinken | September 29, 2021 | favors the government | Denied in the government's favor | |||||
| BAGHERIAN v. POMPEO | February 11, 2020 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Liberty Fund, Inc. v. Chao | September 30, 2005 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | Granted in the government's favor |
Every decision, by case
All 29 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 27 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).
| Decision | Decided | Agency | Form | Disposition | Prevailing party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PEREZ CORREA CAMARENA v. NOEM | June 29, 2026 | USCIS | I-526E | Dismissed | Government |
| ASIF v. BONDI | April 8, 2026 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed as moot | Neither side |
| Hojjatoleslami v. Blinken | July 30, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Diabin v. Mangis | July 2, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| MAKTTOOF v. BLINKEN | March 27, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Makttoof v. Blinken | March 27, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Adan v. Blinken | December 19, 2024 | National Visa Center | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| CHENG v. BLINKEN | September 30, 2024 | Department of State | I-140 | Dismissed | Government |
| Rahman v. Blinken | September 27, 2024 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Baygan v. Blinken | August 8, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| ALAM v. BITTER | July 23, 2024 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Tahavori v. Blinken | March 28, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Abou Kaff v. United States Department of Homeland Security | November 21, 2023 | USCIS | I-589 | Transferred to another court | Neither side |
| Cevallos v. U.S. Department of State | September 26, 2023 | Department of State | DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Khamidova v. Blinken | September 27, 2022 | Department of State | DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Gorgadze v. Blinken and 1 other order in this case, below | July 12, 2022 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Other order in this case Gorgadze v. Blinken | September 29, 2021 | Department of State | DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Meyou v. United States Department of State | May 17, 2022 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Akinyode v. United States Department of Homeland Security | July 16, 2021 | USCIS | I-130, I-485 | Transferred to another court | Neither side |
| AKER v. TRUMP | August 4, 2020 | Department of State | DS-260 | Transferred to another court | Neither side |
| BAGHERIAN v. POMPEO | February 11, 2020 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Jafarzadeh v. Duke | September 7, 2017 | USCIS | I-130, I-485 | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Beshir v. Holder and 1 other order in this case, below | January 27, 2014 | USCIS | I-485 | Dismissed | Government |
| Other order in this case Beshir v. Holder | February 8, 2013 | USCIS | I-485 | Discovery or record order | Neither side |
| Clarke v. Holder | March 23, 2011 | Department of Justice | Dismissed | Government | |
| Perez v. Lappin | November 30, 2009 | Not recorded | Dismissed | Government | |
| Orlov v. Howard | December 10, 2007 | USCIS | I-485 | Dismissed | Government |
| Sadhvani v. Chertoff | November 6, 2006 | ICE | Dismissed | Government | |
| Liberty Fund, Inc. v. Chao | September 30, 2005 | Department of Labor | Granted in the government's favor | 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.
66suits in the docket record
60have ended
6still pending
158median 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.37
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.13
- 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.4
- TransferredMoved to another district court.2
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.2
- Judgment for the plaintiffA consent, default or other judgment for the plaintiff.1
- Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).1
Days from the suit's filing to its end
158 days at the median; half fall between 76.2 and 295.8. 60 dockets state it.
Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted
107 days at the median; half fall between 64 and 171. 37 dockets state it.
23 of these suits have a written decision in the group.