Judges / Western District of Washington

Richard A. Jones

Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Richard A. Jones 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 10 of the group's written decisions, from 9 cases; the newest of them was decided September 13, 2023. The line at the top counts the whole group.

10written decisions
9cases 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: 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)3
  • Dismissed3
  • Dismissed as moot2
  • Attorney's fees1

Prevailing party, by case

  • Applicant1
  • Government5
  • Each side in part1
  • Neither side2

Months from the application to the suit

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

1 of these is a section 1447(b) naturalization suit, whose months run from the application; the statute's 120 days run from the interview, which these figures do not measure.

Months from the application to the court's decision

76.3 months at the median; half fall between 46.9 and 105.8. 6 decisions state it.

Leaves out the 2 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 application5
  • Naturalization hearing or remand (1447(b))1
  • Some other action1
  • Not recorded2

Agency, by case

  • USCIS7
  • EOIR1
  • Department of State1

Form or filing, by case

  • N-400 (naturalization)4
  • I-485 (adjustment of status)2
  • I-130 (relative petition)1
  • I-526 (investor petition)1
  • I-730 (refugee or asylee relative petition)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
Hong Wang v. Chertoff March 7, 2008 favors the applicantfavors the applicantneutralfavors the applicantneutralneutral Granted in the applicant's favor

Every decision, by case

All 10 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 9 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
Sok v. Mayorkas September 13, 2023 EOIR I-130 Granted in the government's favor Government
Avetisyan v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services February 15, 2023 USCIS N-400 Granted in the government's favor Government
Lozano Rodriguez v. Jaddou January 18, 2023 USCIS N-400 Dismissed as moot Neither side
Ma v. Young October 19, 2022 USCIS I-526 Dismissed as moot Neither side
Doe v. United States Department of Homeland Security August 29, 2021 Department of State I-730 Dismissed Government
Hu v. Munita May 6, 2020 USCIS N-400 Attorney's fees Each side in part
Chaudhry v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and 1 other order in this case, below January 6, 2020 USCIS N-400 Dismissed Government
Other order in this case Chaudhry v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services November 27, 2019 Not recorded Sanctions order Neither side
Singh V. US Citizenship and Immigration Services January 6, 2014 USCIS I-485 Dismissed Government
Hong Wang v. Chertoff March 7, 2008 USCIS I-485 Granted in the applicant's favor Applicant

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.

61suits in the docket record
57have ended
4still pending
114median 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.29
  • 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.9
  • Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.7
  • Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).7
  • Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.4
  • Judgment for the plaintiffA consent, default or other judgment for the plaintiff.1

Days from the suit's filing to its end

114 days at the median; half fall between 58 and 303. 57 dockets state it.

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

85 days at the median; half fall between 49 and 168. 29 dockets state it.

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