Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-04475/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-04475-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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STIPULATED PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER Case No.: 3:15-cv-04475 JD

4844-2970-2700.v1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONALD RAY LILLEY, JARVIS 

JOHNSON, and DANIEL 

MALLORY, individually and on 

behalf of all others similarly situated,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

COUNTY OF ALAMEDA; BOARD 

OF SUPERVISORS OF ALAMEDA 

COUNTY; ALAMEDA COUNTY 

SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY; and 

LORI COX, in her official capacity as 

Director of the Alameda County 

Social Services Agency,

Defendants.

Case No.: 3:15-cv-04475 JD

CLASS ACTION 

STIPULATED PRELIMINARY 

INJUNCTION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER 

THE PARTIES HEREBY STIPULATE:

1. During the pendency of this action but no later than 30 days from entry of 

this order, Defendants County of Alameda; Board of Supervisors of Alameda County;

Alameda County Social Services Agency; and Lori Cox, in her official capacity as the 

Director of the Alameda County Social Services Agency (collectively “Defendants”), their 

successors, agents, employees, and those acting in concert therewith are enjoined to comply 

fully within a margin of human error with the legally mandated times for processing 

expedited and regular CalFresh applications. For expedited service CalFresh applications, 

qualified applicants must receive benefits within three (3) calendar days from the date of 

application pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(9)(A) and California Welfare and Institutions 

Code § 18914(b) (implementing 7 C.F.R. § 273.2(i)). For regular CalFresh applications, 

the deadline for determining eligibility as well as issuing benefits for approved applications 

is thirty (30) days from the date of application pursuant to 7 U.S.C. § 2020(e)(3) and 7 

C.F.R. § 273.2(a), (g)(1), (3). 

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 1 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 1 of 8
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- 2 -

STIPULATED PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER Case No.: 3:15-cv-04475 JD

4844-2970-2700.v1

2. During the pendency of this action, Defendants are further enjoined to do the 

following: 

a. Beginning February 2016, Defendants shall provide this Court and Plaintiffs’ 

counsel with a monthly report of their compliance with timely processing of all 

applications no later than the 10th calendar day following each month. The form 

of the report is attached as Exhibit A and incorporated by reference into this 

Order.

b. No later than by the 20th day after any month in which Defendants are not in full 

compliance with the application processing time frames for regular and/or 

expedited service CalFresh benefits, Defendants shall implement specific 

corrective actions to achieve full compliance and shall provide the Court and 

Plaintiffs’ counsel with a report on these corrective actions.

c. Beginning January 31, 2016, Defendants shall issue a one-time written notice to 

all CalFresh applicants. This notice shall inform the applicants that Defendants 

must timely process CalFresh applications, the mandatory time frames for 

application processing, and provide an Agency telephone number for an 

individual to call to resolve any problems with the processing (see subsection d

below).

d. No later than January 31, 2016, Defendants shall publicize a telephone number 

whereby any individual can bring to Defendants’ attention issues or problems 

with the processing of a CalFresh application. Defendants shall investigate the 

problem and take corrective action within two business days. If the problem is 

that an application is not being timely processed, is past the requisite timeline,

and the delay is County-caused, Defendants shall make a determination on that 

application within two business days. Defendants shall also notify the relevant 

supervisor, division director and the Assistant Agency Director for the 

Department of Workforce and Benefits Administration of the problem. The 

telephone number shall be publicized on the CalFresh paper application packet, 

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 2 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 2 of 8
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STIPULATED PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER Case No.: 3:15-cv-04475 JD

4844-2970-2700.v1

on the CalFresh online application portal, on posters hung in CalFresh waiting 

rooms and distributed to agencies authorized to assist County residents with 

CalFresh applications, and on the CalFresh page of the Agency’s website. The 

telephone number shall also be publicized on electronic monitors in CalFresh 

waiting rooms, once those monitors are functioning, a date which Defendants 

shall give to Plaintiffs once it is known. 

e. No later than January 31, 2016, Defendants shall hang a poster in each CalFresh 

waiting room. This poster shall be in a format and with language to be agreed to 

by the parties that shall inform applicants of: (i) their right to apply for CalFresh 

benefits or to have their eligibility recertified; (ii) the 3-day and 30-day time 

frames for processing expedited and regular applications; and (iii) the telephone 

number that may be contacted in the event that eligibility has not been 

determined timely. The poster shall be in English, Spanish, Chinese, 

Vietnamese, Farsi, Cambodian, and Tagalog. Defendants will also provide 

posters to agencies who are authorized to assist county residents with 

applications for CalFresh benefits, and request those Agencies to post and 

maintain the poster. Defendants will provide Plaintiffs’ counsel with a list of 

these agencies no later than January 31, 2016. The information contained in the 

posters shall also be included in the CalFresh paper application packet, on the 

CalFresh online application portal, and on electronic monitors in CalFresh 

waiting rooms, once those monitors are functioning. 

3. The Court hereby waives the payment of any security by Plaintiffs pursuant 

to Rule 65(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 3 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 3 of 8
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STIPULATED PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER Case No.: 3:15-cv-04475 JD

4844-2970-2700.v1

Dated: January 13, 2016 THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAW PROJECT

WESTERN CENTER ON LAW & POVERTY

PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN LLP

By ____________________________________

Lauren Hansen

Attorneys for Plaintiffs and the Plaintiff Class

Dated: January 13, 2016 MOSCONE EMBLIDGE & OTIS LLP

By ____________________________________

Erin Reding

Attorneys for Defendants

GOOD CAUSE APPEARING, IT IS SO ORDERED.

Date: January 15, 2015 

____________________________________

Honorable James Donato

United States District Judge

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 4 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 4 of 8
Exhibit A

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 5 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 5 of 8
ALAMEDA COUNTY MONTHLY REGULAR SERVICE TIMELINESS

(Source: DFA 296 data)

Report

Month

Applications 

received during

the month

Total 

Applications 

Denied

Total 

Applications 

(Approved and 

Denied)

Total

Applications 

Approved and 

Denied in over

30 days

(CWD caused)

Percentage

Applications 

Approved and 

Denied in over

30 days

(CWD caused)

Jan-15 4,367 [fill in] 3,385 626 18.49%

Feb-15 3,972 3,134 603 19.24%

Mar-15 4,349 3,944 823 20.87%

Apr-15 4,205 3,788 697 18.40%

May-15 3,930 3,806 884 23.23%

Jun-15 4,269 4,310 988 22.92%

Jul-15 4,282 4,722 1,171 24.80%

Aug-15 4,148 3,426 487 14.21%

Sep-15 3,988 3,841 616 16.04%

Oct-15 1,776 4,067 769 18.91%

Nov-15 2,956 3,013 415 13.77%

Dec-15

Jan-16

Feb-16

Mar-16

Apr-16

ALAMEDA COUNTY MONTHLY EXPEDITED SERVICE TIMELINESS

(Source: DFA 296x and monthly) equivalent)

Report

Month

Total 

Applications 

Processed 

under ES

Total Found

Entitled to ES

Percentage

Found Entitled

to ES

Total ES

Benefits issued

in more than

3 days

(County

Caused)

Percentage ES

Benefits issued 

in more than

3 days

(County

Caused)

2015 1Q 11,722 4,470 38.13% 653 14.61%

2015 2Q 10,999 4,472 40.66% 467 10.44%

2015 3Q 11,441 4,439 38.80% 513 11.56%

Oct-15 - - -

Nov-15 - - -

Dec-15 - - -

Jan-16 - - -

Feb-16 - - -

Mar-16 - - -

Apr-16 - -

-

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 6 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 6 of 8
NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS PENDING OVER 30 DAYS

(Source: CalWIN Tables)

Report Month Total Number of Applications Pending 

Over 30 Days

Inter-County Transfers Excluded from 

Total Number of Applications Pending 

Over 30 Days

Oct-15

Nov-15

Dec-15

Jan-16

Feb-16

Mar-16

Apr-16

Timeliness reports definitions

Regular Service definitions

“Applications received during the month” has the same meaning as on DFA 296, Column 4.

“Total Applications Denied” means the sum of “PACF Applications denied” and “NACF Applications 

denied” as reported in DFA 296, Columns 10 and 11.

“Total Applications Decided” means the sum of “Applications approved,” “PACF Applications 

denied,” and “NACF Applications denied” as reported in DFA 296 Columns 7, 10 and 11.

“Total Late Decision Percentage” means “Total Late Decisions,” divided by “Total Applications

Decided” and shown as a percentage.

Expedited Service definitions

“Total Applications Processed under ES” means applications processed under expedited service

received during the month, which would be the monthly component of “Applications processed under

ES during the report quarter” in the DFA 296x, Column 4.

“Total Found Entitled to ES” means the monthly equivalent of “Found entitled to ES (Sum of items

4a1, 4a2 and 4a3)” in the DFA 296x, Column 11.

“Percentage Found Entitled to ES” means “Total Found Entitled,” divided by “Total Applications

Processed under ES” and shown as a percentage.

“Total ES Benefits issued in more than 3 days (County Caused)” means the sum of the monthly

equivalent of “Total Benefits issued in 4-7 days county caused delay” and “Total Benefits issued in

over 7 days county caused delay” in the DFA 296x, Columns 23 and 32.

“Percentage ES Benefits issued in more than 3 days (County Caused)” means “Total ES Benefits 

issued in more than 3 days (County Caused)” divided by “Total Found Entitled to ES” and shown as a

percentage.

Pending applications definitions

“Total Number of Applications pending over 30 days” is the number of applications that the Alameda 

County Social Services Agency has not acted on timely, and for which no decision has been made as 

of the last day of the Report Month. This number is extracted from the CalWIN data tables, and not 

the DFA 296 report. It tracks the total number of applications that have not been acted upon within 30 

days of the date of application at the end of any given month, and therefore will be cumulative of 

applications received in previous months. 

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 7 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 7 of 8
“Inter-County Transfers Excluded from Total Number of Applications Pending over 30 Days” is the 

number of persons who have been excluded from the pending backlog because they transferred from 

another county to Alameda County. This number is extracted from the CalWIN data tables, and not 

the DFA 296 report. Alameda County represents that the California Department of Social Services 

requires that, when counties complete the DFA 296 report, they exclude the number of inter-county 

transfers from the total number of pending applications.

Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 49-1 Filed 01/15/16 Page 8 of 8 Case 3:15-cv-04475-JD Document 50 Filed 01/19/16 Page 8 of 8