Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-04820/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-04820-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 8:1446 Petition for Naturalization Hearing

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

Irina Vladimirovna Astafieva,

Plaintiff,

 v.

Alberto Gonzales, et al.,

Defendants. /

NO. C 06-04820 JW 

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF'S

PETITION FOR HEARING ON

NATURALIZATION APPLICATION

PURSUANT TO 8 U.S.C. § 1447(b)

Plaintiff Irina Vladimirovna Astafieva ("Plaintiff") brings this action for a declaratory

judgment that she is entitled to be naturalized pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1421. Before the Court is

Plaintiff's Petition for Hearing on Naturalization Application Pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1447(b). Based

upon the papers submitted to date, the Court GRANTS Plaintiff's Petition for a hearing on her

naturalization application.

Plaintiff is a United States resident who resides within the Court's jurisdiction. (Petition for

Hearing on Naturalization Application, hereafter "Petition," Docket Item No.1.) On September 5,

2003, Plaintiff filed an application for naturalization with the United States Citizenship and

Immigration Services ("USCIS"). (Petition ¶ 28.) On May 6, 2004, she was examined on her

application by a USCIS agent at the San Jose sub-office of USCIS's San Francisco District Office. 

(Petition ¶ 28.) She was informed that she passed the same day, but that a decision could not yet be

made on her application. (Petition ¶ 6.) Since the date of her examination, Plaintiff and her

supporters, including her congressional representative and present counsel, have made several

inquiries as to the status of her application to no avail. (Petition ¶ 32-33). It has been over 22

Case 5:06-cv-04820-JW Document 21 Filed 11/22/06 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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months in excess of the 120 statutory grace period but still no decision has been made with respect

to Plaintiff's application. (Petition ¶ 35.)

Title 8 of the United States Code Section 1447(b) provides that if the government fails to

make a determination on an applicant's naturalization file within 120 days after it conducts an

examination, the applicant may apply to the United States District Court for the district in which the

applicant resides for a hearing on the matter. The majority of courts have interpreted the word

"examination" to mean the date of the examination with a USCIS officer, not the entire examination

process required prior to someone being naturalized. Daami v. Gonzales, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS

37539 at *5 (D. N.J. May 22, 2006). 

Plaintiff's examination occurred on May 6, 2004; the 120-day statutory period for Defendants

to make a determination on her application has expired. The Court GRANTS Plaintiff's Petition for

a hearing on her naturalization application. The hearing is set for January 22, 2007 at 9 AM. The

parties are to complete their briefings, if any, by January 8, 2007. In light this ORDER, the Court

vacates the case management conference presently set for November 27, 2006.

Dated: November 21, 2006 

JAMES WARE

United States District Judge

Case 5:06-cv-04820-JW Document 21 Filed 11/22/06 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT COPIES OF THIS ORDER HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO:

Angela Dee Bortel abortel@youradvocate.net

Christopher Anthony Kerosky ckerosky@youradwokat.com

Edward A. Olsen edward.olsen@usdoj.gov

Ila Casy Deiss ila.deiss@usdoj.gov

Dated: November 21, 2006 Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: /s/ JW Chambers 

Elizabeth Garcia

Courtroom Deputy

Case 5:06-cv-04820-JW Document 21 Filed 11/22/06 Page 3 of 3