Courts / Third Circuit
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group from this court, and the agency-delay suits filed there.
2,948 written decisions from 2,691 cases in the whole mandamus and agency-delay group, the group's newest decided November 10, 2026. Updated November 11, 2026 at 1:21 p.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 1,632 public decisions since January 1, 2025 that a CourtListener and GovInfo search for mandamus and agency delay finds, Passim holds 1,398 (86%), measured November 11, 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.
How the decisions came out
This page counts 39 of the group's written decisions, from 37 cases; the newest of them was decided July 29, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.
39written decisions
37cases they come from
1decisions weigh the TRAC factors
20.2median months from the application to the suit
Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here: the 2 other orders in those cases are 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
Months from the application to the suit
20.2 months at the median; half fall between 4.9 and 46.6. 13 cases state it.
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, or to the agency's action where it acted first
26.6 months at the median; half fall between 13.4 and 51.5. 29 decisions state it.
In 5 of these the agency acted before the decision, so the months run to that action, where the delay ended.
Leaves out the 1 decision holding that the agency had acted where no reading dates that action: its months to the decision are not a delay.
What the suits asked for, by case
- Decide the application16
- Schedule an interview1
- Finish 221(g) processing3
- Decide the asylum application4
- Naturalization hearing or remand (1447(b))1
- Some other action7
- Not recorded5
Agency, by case
Decisions by year
Download these 39 decisions as a spreadsheet (CSV).
Examples
The newest case with each of the most common dispositions, by its latest decision.
E.D. Pa., July 29, 2026. Dismissed; prevailing party: government.
E.D. Pa., September 1, 2020. Granted; prevailing party: government.
E.D. Pa., August 20, 2025. Denied; prevailing party: 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. Check a delay counts fewer: a court's suits of the last three years against the form's agency.
821suits in the docket record
743have ended
78still pending
74median 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.564
- 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.144
- Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).12
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.9
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.6
- TransferredMoved to another district court.5
- Judgment for the plaintiffA consent, default or other judgment for the plaintiff.3
Days from the suit's filing to its end
74 days at the median; half fall between 51.5 and 126. 743 dockets state it.
Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted
71.5 days at the median; half fall between 50 and 119. 564 dockets state it.
37 of these suits have a written decision in the group.
Download the 821 suits in the docket record as a spreadsheet (CSV).