Armando Arias Maldonado v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, et al.

Opinion

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

ARMANDO ARIAS MALDONADO, Case No. 2:25-cv-02145-JHC Plaintiff, STIPULATED MOTION TO HOLD CASE IN ABEYANCE AND ORDER v.

Noted for Consideration: U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION December 29, 2025 SERVICES, et al.,

Defendants. Plaintiff and Defendants, by and through their counsel of record, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6 and Local Rules 7(d)(1), 10(g) and 16, hereby jointly stipulate and move to stay these proceedings until March 6, 2026. Plaintiff brought this litigation pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act and Mandamus Act seeking, inter alia, to compel U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) to adjudicate his application for adjustment of status. Defendants’ response to the Complaint is currently due on January 5, 2026. The parties are currently working towards a resolution to this litigation. For good cause, the parties request that the Court hold the case in abeyance until March 6, 2026. Courts have “broad discretion” to stay proceedings. Clinton v. Jones, 520 U.S. 681, 706 (1997). “[T]he power to stay proceedings is incidental to the power inherent in every court to control the disposition of the causes on its docket with economy of time and effort for itself, for counsel, and for litigants.” Landis v. N. Am. Co., 299 U.S. 248, 254 (1936); see also Fed. R. Civ.

P. 1.

With additional time, this case may be resolved without the need of further judicial intervention. USCIS is diligently working on processing Plaintiff’s application but requires more time to do so, particularly given shortstaffing during the busy holiday season. Once the application is adjudicated, Plaintiff will dismiss the case with each party to bear their own litigation costs and attorneys’ fees. Accordingly, the parties request this abeyance to allow USCIS more time to process Plaintiff’s application and thus, the parties hope, to resolve this matter without further court proceedings.

As additional time is necessary for this to occur, the parties request that the Court hold the case in abeyance until March 6, 2026. The parties will submit a status update on or before that date. // // // DATED this 29th day of December, 2025. Respectfully submitted,

United States Attorney s/ Sarah Louise Bishop SARAH LOUISE BISHOP, NY No. 5256359 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Washington 700 Stewart Street, Suite 5220 Seattle, Washington 98101-1271 Phone: 206-553-4063 Fax: 206-553-4067 Email: sarah.bishop@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Defendants I certify that this memorandum contains 304 words, in compliance with the Local Civil Rules.

s/ Shara Svendsen SHARA SVENDSEN, WSBA No. 38151 Law Office of Shara Svendsen 16300 Mill Creek Blvd., Suite 206 Mill Creek, WA 98104 Phone: 425-361-1511 Fax: 425-953-2410 Email: shara@svenlaw.com

Attorney for Plaintiff The case is held in abeyance until March 6, 2026. The parties shall submit a status update or before that date. It is so ORDERED. DATED this 30th day of December, 2025 C Lehn. 4 Chur John H. Chun United States District Judge 1] STIPULATED MOTION TO HOLD CASE IN ABEYANCE