Timothy James Kelly
Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Timothy James Kelly 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 23 of the group's written decisions, from 23 cases; the newest of them was decided July 10, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.
23written decisions
23cases they come from
19decisions weigh the TRAC factors
14.5median 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.
Months from the application to the suit
14.5 months at the median; half fall between 9.6 and 23.8. 14 cases state it.
Months from the application to the court's decision
22.7 months at the median; half fall between 19.8 and 35.7. 17 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 application6
- Schedule an interview1
- Finish 221(g) processing12
- Some other action2
- Not recorded2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHARMA v. RUBIO | July 10, 2026 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| ZAKERI v. RUBIO | May 28, 2026 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| DIAKANUA v. BLINKEN | March 31, 2025 | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | neutral | neutral | Dismissed |
| Musaleev v. Bitter | January 28, 2025 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Bonsi v. Bitter | January 23, 2025 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Emad v. U.S. Department of State | July 23, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Nefedov v. Kuo | July 11, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Zakeri v. Blinken | July 2, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Sidhu v. Emmel | June 20, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Sheibani v. Garland | June 18, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Khan v. Blinken | June 7, 2024 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Babaei v. United States Department of State | March 19, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Noori v. Blinken | March 5, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | Dismissed |
| Nusrat v. Blinken | September 8, 2022 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Telles v. Kendall | July 13, 2022 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Penn v. Blinken | March 29, 2022 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | Dismissed |
| Liu v. Blinken | June 18, 2021 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Mirbaha v. Pompeo | January 19, 2021 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Sheikhi v. Trump | November 24, 2020 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
Every decision, by case
All 23 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHARMA v. RUBIO | July 10, 2026 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| ZAKERI v. RUBIO | May 28, 2026 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| MAI TAHOUN v. DEPARTMENT OF STATE | May 13, 2025 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| DIAKANUA v. BLINKEN | March 31, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Musaleev v. Bitter | January 28, 2025 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Bonsi v. Bitter | January 23, 2025 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Emad v. U.S. Department of State | July 23, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Nefedov v. Kuo | July 11, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Zakeri v. Blinken | July 2, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Sidhu v. Emmel | June 20, 2024 | USCIS | I-526 | Dismissed | Government |
| Sheibani v. Garland | June 18, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Khan v. Blinken | June 7, 2024 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Babaei v. United States Department of State | March 19, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Noori v. Blinken | March 5, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Ahmed v. Gable | September 25, 2023 | Not recorded | Dismissed | Government | |
| Nusrat v. Blinken | September 8, 2022 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Telles v. Kendall | July 13, 2022 | USCIS | I-526 | Dismissed | Government |
| Penn v. Blinken | March 29, 2022 | Department of State | DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| National Capital Presbytery v. Nielsen | October 19, 2021 | USCIS | I-129, I-539 | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Liu v. Blinken | June 18, 2021 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Mirbaha v. Pompeo | January 19, 2021 | Department of State | DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Sheikhi v. Trump | November 24, 2020 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Aboutalebi v. Department of State | December 18, 2019 | Department of State | 221(g), 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.
81suits in the docket record
72have ended
9still pending
187.5median 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.42
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.14
- 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.10
- TransferredMoved to another district court.3
- 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
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.1
Days from the suit's filing to its end
187.5 days at the median; half fall between 65.5 and 337.2. 72 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 59.8 and 172.5. 42 dockets state it.
31 of these suits have a written decision in the group.