Royce C. Lamberth
Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Royce C. Lamberth 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 16 of the group's written decisions, from 15 cases; the newest of them was decided October 15, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.
16written decisions
15cases they come from
6decisions weigh the TRAC factors
17.3median months from the application to the suit
Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here: the 1 other order in those cases is 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.
Months from the application to the suit
17.3 months at the median; half fall between 12.5 and 24. 9 cases state it.
Months from the application to the court's decision
24.4 months at the median; half fall between 20.7 and 31.4. 8 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 application7
- Finish 221(g) processing4
- Issue a work permit1
- Not recorded3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUANG v. USCIS IMMIGRATION INVESTOR PROGRAM OFFICE | October 15, 2026 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | Dismissed |
| KHAN v. SCHOFER et al | March 31, 2025 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Sharifymoghaddam v. Blinken | March 5, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| GONA v. UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES | February 25, 2021 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Denied in the government's favor |
| Tavakoli Joorabi v. Pompeo | May 17, 2020 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | Dismissed | |||
| KESHTKAR JAFARI v. POMPEO | May 3, 2020 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | Dismissed |
Every decision, by case
All 16 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HUANG v. USCIS IMMIGRATION INVESTOR PROGRAM OFFICE | October 15, 2026 | USCIS | I-526E | Dismissed | Government |
| GOVERN GPT, INC. v. BLINKEN | September 26, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| KHAN v. SCHOFER et al | March 31, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Gjoci v. Department of State and 1 other order in this case, below | September 23, 2024 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Other order in this case GJOCI v. DEPARTMENT OF STATE | September 1, 2021 | Department of State | DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Sharifymoghaddam v. Blinken | March 5, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Fateh v. Blinken | February 29, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Castaneira v. Mayorkas | July 10, 2023 | USCIS | I-130 | Dismissed | Government |
| Zakimi v. Johnson | May 15, 2023 | Not recorded | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Bakhaje v. Blinken | October 17, 2022 | Not recorded | DS-160 | Dismissed as moot | Neither side |
| Aminjavaheri v. Biden | September 27, 2021 | Department of State | DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| GONA v. UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES | February 25, 2021 | USCIS | I-539, I-765 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Addala v. Cuccinelli | January 25, 2021 | USCIS | I-526 | Denied in the applicant's favor | Applicant |
| Tavakoli Joorabi v. Pompeo | May 17, 2020 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| KESHTKAR JAFARI v. POMPEO | May 3, 2020 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Lihong Xia v. Kerry | November 12, 2014 | USCIS | 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.
47suits in the docket record
44have ended
3still pending
119median 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.27
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.11
- TransferredMoved to another district court.3
- 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
- Judgment for the plaintiffA consent, default or other judgment for the plaintiff.1
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.1
Days from the suit's filing to its end
119 days at the median; half fall between 67.5 and 260.8. 44 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 62 and 123.5. 27 dockets state it.
18 of these suits have a written decision in the group.