Judges / District of New Jersey

Stanley R. Chesler

Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Stanley R. Chesler 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 6 of the group's written decisions, from 5 cases; the newest of them was decided June 18, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.

6written 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: 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.

Disposition, by case

  • Granted (either side's motion)2
  • Dismissed3

Prevailing party, by case

  • Applicant1
  • Government4

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.

Leaves out the 1 decision holding that the agency had acted: its months to the decision are not a delay.

What the suits asked for, by case

  • Decide the application2
  • Decide the asylum application2
  • Not recorded1

Agency, by case

  • USCIS5

Form or filing, by case

  • I-589 (asylum)2
  • I-485 (adjustment of status)1
  • I-751 (removal of conditions)1
  • N-400 (naturalization)1
  • N-600 (certificate of citizenship)1

Decisions by year

TRAC rulings

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

Every decision, by case

All 6 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
BEKTAS v. ISAACSON and 1 other order in this case, below June 18, 2026 USCIS I-589 Granted in the applicant's favor Applicant
Other order in this case Bektas v. Isaacson February 5, 2026 Not recorded I-589 Procedural order Neither side
GOUEM v. RAUFER, DIRECTOR, NEWARK ASYLUM OFFICE, USCIS August 12, 2025 USCIS I-589 Dismissed Government
JAFFAL v. THOMPSON October 15, 2020 USCIS N-600 Granted in the government's favor Government
Omar v. Mueller August 14, 2007 USCIS I-751, N-400 Dismissed Government
Qiu v. Chertoff May 15, 2007 USCIS I-485 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
95.5median 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.6
  • Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.2

Days from the suit's filing to its end

95.5 days at the median; half fall between 80.8 and 139.8. 8 dockets state it.

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

86 days at the median; half fall between 80.2 and 97.8. 6 dockets state it.

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