Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03455/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-03455-11/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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STIPULATION OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF 

PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, 

SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA SCOVAJSA 

CASE NO. 07-CV-3455-WHA 

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CECILLIA D. WANG (CSB #187782) 

LUCAS GUTTENTAG (CSB #90208) 

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 

 FOUNDATION 

IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS PROJECT 

39 Drumm Street 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

Telephone: (415) 343-0775 

Facsimile: (415) 395-0950 

Email: CWang@aclu.org 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs-Petitioners 

*Additional counsel listed on following page 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION 

ALIA AHMADI, ANGEL GENTCHEV, 

JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, 

SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA 

SCOVAJSA, 

Plaintiffs-Petitioners, 

v. 

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, U.S. Secretary of 

Homeland Security; ROBERT S. MUELLER 

III, Director of the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation; MICHAEL MUKASEY, 

Attorney General of the United States; 

EMILIO T. GONZALEZ, Director, U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of 

Citizenship and Immigration Services; DAVID 

STILL, District Director, U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security, Bureau of Citizenship and 

Immigration Services, San Francisco District,

 Defendants-Respondents. 

Case No. 07-CV-3455-WHA 

STIPULATION OF PARTIAL 

DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF 

PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, ANGEL 

GENTCHEV, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR 

OVCHINNIKOV, SERGEI 

SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA 

SCOVAJSA 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 1 of 9
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STIPULATION OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF 

PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, 

SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA SCOVAJSA 

CASE NO. 07-CV-3455-WHA 

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Additional counsel:

JULIA HARUMI MASS (CSB #189649) 

ALAN L. SCHLOSSER (CSB #49957) 

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 

 FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 

39 Drumm Street 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

Telephone: (415) 621-2493 

Facsimile: (415) 255-8437 

SIN YEN LING* 

JOREN LYONS (CSB #203403) 

ASIAN LAW CAUCUS 

939 Market Street, Suite 201 

San Francisco, CA 94103 

Telephone: (415) 896-1701 

Facsimile: (415) 896-1702 

*Application for admission pro hac vice forthcoming 

Of counsel:

TODD GALLINGER (CSB #238666) 

COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS 

 (CAIR) – SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA 

3000 Scott Boulevard, Suite 212 

Santa Clara, CA 95054 

Telephone: (408) 986-9874 

Facsimile: (408) 986-9875 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 2 of 9
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STIPULATION OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF 

PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, 

SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA SCOVAJSA 

CASE NO. 07-CV-3455-WHA 

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TO THE COURT, ALL PARTIES, AND COUNSEL OF RECORD: 

The parties hereby stipulate and agree as follows: 

1. Defendants are prepared to grant the naturalization applications of Plaintiffs 

Angel Gentchev, Jiwei Huang, Igor Ovchinnikov, Sergei Sapozhnikov, and Helga Scovajsa, and 

to administer the oath of citizenship, contingent upon the foregoing Plaintiffs’ continued 

eligibility for naturalization, no later than March 14, 2008. 

2. Defendants are prepared to grant the naturalization application of Plaintiff Alia 

Ahmadi and to administer the oath of citizenship, contingent upon her appearance for a second 

naturalization interview and her continued eligibility for naturalization. The parties stipulate that 

the second naturalization interview of Plaintiff Alia Ahmadi shall not include an examination on 

U.S. government and history. The parties further stipulate that the second naturalization 

interview of Plaintiff Alia Ahmadi shall take place no later than March 14, 2008, that her 

naturalization application shall be adjudicated no later than 30 days after the second 

naturalization interview, and that contingent upon Plaintiff Ahmadi’s continued eligibility for 

naturalization, that she be administered the oath of citizenship prior to April 14, 2008. 

3. Under the Ninth Circuit’s decision in United States v. Hovsepian, 359 F.3d 1144, 

1159-1164 (9th Cir. 2004), during the pendency of litigation under 8 U.S.C. § 1447(b), the 

government agency loses authority to act upon the pending naturalization application and the 

district court has exclusive jurisdiction. Thus, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 

(“CIS”) currently may not grant the naturalization applications of Plaintiffs Ahmadi, Gentchev, 

Huang, Ovchinnikov, Sapozhnikov and Scovajsa. 

4. The individual 8 U.S.C. § 1447(b) claims of Plaintiffs Ahmadi, Gentchev, Huang, 

Ovchinnikov, Sapozhnikov, and Scovajsa, as stated in the First Cause of Action in the Second 

Amended Complaint therefore should be dismissed so that they may be naturalized. The parties 

agree that such dismissal shall be without prejudice. If Plaintiffs Gentchev, Huang, 

Ovchinnikov, Sapozhnikov, and Scovajsa are not sworn in as U.S. citizens by March 14, 2008, 

the Court shall resume jurisdiction over their claims. If Plaintiff Ahmadi is not re-interviewed 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 3 of 9
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STIPULATION OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF 

PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, 

SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA SCOVAJSA 

CASE NO. 07-CV-3455-WHA 

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for naturalization by March 14, 2008, or if she is not sworn in as a U.S. citizen by April 14, 

2008, the Court shall resume jurisdiction over her claim. 

5. This Stipulation does not affect the claims of Plaintiffs Ahmadi, Gentchev, 

Huang, Ovchinnikov, Sapozhnikov and Scovajsa as to the Second, Third and Fourth Causes of 

Action in the Second Amended Complaint, which were dismissed by the Court in an order dated 

October 15, 2007. The parties reserve all claims and arguments concerning the Second, Third 

and Fourth Causes of Action. 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 4 of 9
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STIPULATION OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF 

PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, 

SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA SCOVAJSA 

CASE NO. 07-CV-3455-WHA 

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Dated: February 15, 2008 Respectfully submitted, 

CECILLIA D. WANG 

LUCAS GUTTENTAG 

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 

 FOUNDATION 

IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS PROJECT 

39 Drumm Street 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

JULIA HARUMI MASS 

ALAN L. SCHLOSSER 

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION 

 FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN 

 CALIFORNIA 

39 Drumm Street 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

SIN YEN LING 

JOREN LYONS 

ASIAN LAW CAUCUS 

939 Market Street, Suite 201 

San Francisco, CA 94103 

Telephone: (415) 896-1701 

Facsimile: (415) 896-1702 

TODD GALLINGER 

Of Counsel 

COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC 

 RELATIONS (CAIR) – SAN 

FRANCISCO BAY AREA 

3000 Scott Boulevard, Suite 212 

Santa Clara, CA 95054 

Telephone: (408) 986-9874 

Facsimile: (408) 986-9875 

By: _______/s/________________________ 

CECILLIA D. WANG 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs-Petitioners 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 5 of 9
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STIPULATION OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF 

PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, 

SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and HELGA SCOVAJSA 

CASE NO. 07-CV-3455-WHA 

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Dated: February 15, 2008 SCOTT N. SCHOOLS 

United States Attorney 

JOANN W. SWANSON 

Chief, Civil Division 

EDWARD A. OLSEN 

Assistant United States Attorney 

450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055 

San Francisco, CA 94102 

PETER D. KEISLER 

United States Department of Justice 

Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division

ELIZABETH J. STEVENS 

Senior Litigation Counsel, Office of 

Immigration Litigation 

JEFFREY S. ROBINS 

Trial Attorney, Office of Immigration 

Litigation 

P.O. Box 878, Ben Franklin Station 

Washington, D.C. 20044 

By: _______/s/_________________________

JEFFREY S. ROBINS 

Attorneys for Defendants 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 6 of 9
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ORDER

Based upon the stipulation of the parties, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the 

individual claims of Plaintiffs Alia Ahmadi, Angel Gentchev, Jiwei Huang, Igor 

Ovchinnikov, Sergei Sapozhnikov, and Helga Scovajsa under 8 U.S.C. § 1447(b), as set forth 

in the First Cause of Action in the Second Amended Complaint, are hereby DISMISSED 

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1), so that U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (“CIS”) may grant their naturalization applications, contingent on 

Plaintiffs’ continued eligibility for naturalization and, where appropriate, administer the oath 

of citizenship. 

It is further ORDERED that in the event that CIS does not administer the oath of 

citizenship to Plaintiffs Gentchev, Huang, Ovchinnikov, Sapozhnikov and Scovajsa by 

March 14, 2008, those Plaintiffs may reinstate their claims before this Court by amending the 

pleadings in this matter. 

If is further ORDERED that in the event that CIS does not re-interview Plaintiff Alia 

Ahmadi by March 14, 2008, or if she is not sworn in as a U.S. citizen by April 14, 2008, 

Plaintiff Ahmadi may reinstate her claim before this Court by amending the pleadings in this 

matter. 

This Order does not affect the claims or arguments of Plaintiffs Ahmadi, Gentchev, 

Huang, Ovchinnikov, Sapozhnikov and Scovajsa as to the Second, Third and Fourth Causes of 

Action in the Second Amended Complaint. 

SO ORDERED. 

Dated: February ___, 2008 

 ___________________________________ 

 HON. WILLIAM H. ALSUP 

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

U

NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge William Alsup

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

 I, Cecillia D. Wang, declare as follows: 

 I hereby certify that today I electronically filed the foregoing STIPULATION OF 

PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, ANGEL 

GENTCHEV, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, and 

HELGA SCOVAJSA with the Clerk of the Court using the ECF system, which will send 

notification of such filing to the following email addresses: 

 Alan Lawrence Schlosser Via ECF

 American Civil Liberties Union at aschlosser@aclunc.org

 Foundation of Northern California 

Joren Lyons Via ECF

 Asian Law Caucus at joren@asianlawcaucus.org

Lucas Guttentag Via ECF 

American Civil Liberties Union at lguttentag@aclu.org 

 Immigrants’ Rights Project 

Julia Harumi Mass Via ECF 

American Civil Liberties Union at jmass@aclunc.org 

 Foundation of Northern California 

Edward A. Olsen Via ECF 

United States Attorney’s Office at edward.olsen@usdoj.gov

Elizabeth J. Stevens Via ECF 

United States Department of Justice at elizabeth.stevens@usdoj.gov

Jeffrey S. Robins Via ECF 

United States Department of Justice at jeffrey.robins@usdoj.gov

In addition, I hereby certify that today I served true and correct copies of the 

STIPULATION OF PARTIAL DISMISSAL OF CLAIMS OF PLAINTIFFS ALIA AHMADI, 

ANGEL GENTCHEV, JIWEI HUANG, IGOR OVCHINNIKOV, SERGEI SAPOZHNIKOV, 

and HELGA SCOVAJSA by U.S. Mail on the following non-ECF filers: 

Sin Yen Ling Todd Gallinger 

Asian Law Caucus Council on American-Islamic Relations 

939 Market Street, Suite 201 3000 Scott Boulevard, Suite 212 

San Francisco, CA 94103 Santa Clara, CA 95054 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 8 of 9
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I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the above 

is true and correct. 

Dated: February ___, 2008 

San Francisco, California 

 

_________/s/______________ 

 CECILLIA D. WANG 

Case 3:07-cv-03455-WHA Document 65 Filed 02/20/08 Page 9 of 9