Judges / District of Massachusetts

Denise Jefferson Casper

Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Denise Jefferson Casper 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 February 28, 2025. The line at the top counts the whole group.

5written decisions
5cases they come from
1decisions 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

  • Dismissed4
  • Dismissed in part; some claims go on1

Prevailing party, by case

  • Government4
  • Each side in part1

Months from the application to the suit

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

Months from the application to the court's decision

Fewer than five decisions state it (3); no distribution is shown.

What the suits asked for, by case

  • Decide the application2
  • Schedule an interview1
  • Not recorded2

Agency, by case

  • USCIS2
  • DHS1
  • ICE1
  • National Visa Center1

Form or filing, by case

  • I-601A (provisional waiver)2
  • DS-160 (nonimmigrant visa)1
  • DS-260 (immigrant visa)1

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.

DecisionDecided1. Rule of reason2. Congressional timetable3. Human health and welfare4. Competing priorities5. Interests prejudiced6. No impropriety neededDisposition
Kennedy v. U.S. Department of State February 28, 2025 favors the governmentfavors the governmentfavors the governmentfavors the governmentfavors the governmentfavors the government Dismissed

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
Kennedy v. U.S. Department of State February 28, 2025 National Visa Center DS-160, DS-260 Dismissed Government
Candido v. Miller February 21, 2024 USCIS I-601A Dismissed Government
Muniz v. Miller February 14, 2024 USCIS I-601A Dismissed Government
Lopez Lopez v. Charles January 26, 2020 ICE Dismissed Government
Centro Presente v. U.S. Dep't of Homeland Sec. July 23, 2018 DHS Dismissed in part; some claims go on Each side in part

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.

32suits in the docket record
29have ended
3still pending
106median 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.25
  • Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.2
  • 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

106 days at the median; half fall between 66 and 189. 29 dockets state it.

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

93 days at the median; half fall between 63 and 160. 25 dockets state it.

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