Case: LaFayette Square SBLC, LLC v. U.S. Small Business Administration

1:25-cv-00755 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: March 14, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

This case challenges the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) decision to rescind a Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) license. On March 14, 2025, LaFayette Square SBLC, an investment platform focused on underserved communities, filed this lawsuit against the SBA and its Administrator in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Declaratory Judgment Act. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiffs sought declaratory and injun…

This case challenges the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) decision to rescind a Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) license. On March 14, 2025, LaFayette Square SBLC, an investment platform focused on underserved communities, filed this lawsuit against the SBA and its Administrator in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Declaratory Judgment Act. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief to invalidate the SBA’s rescission letter and revocation of their SBLC license. They also requested an order requiring the defendants to evaluate their application in accordance with the law and issue SBA Form 750, asserting they had demonstrated eligibility. The plaintiffs argued that the SBA acted without adequate notice or a meaningful opportunity to respond, rendering the rescission both procedurally improper and substantively unjustified, and causing severe harm by halting lending operations. The case was assigned to Judge Dabney Friedrich. 

The case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Meredith Ulle (4/19/2025)

Victoria Tan (8/17/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69739549/parties/lafayette-square-sblc-llc-v-us-small-business-administration/


Judge(s)

Friedrich, Dabney Langhorne (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Crichlow, David Andrew (District of Columbia)

Muldrew, Brian Lee (District of Columbia)

Smith, Robert Thomas (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Georgiev-Remmel, Dimitar (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

1:25-cv-00755

Complaint

March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

Complaint

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69739549/lafayette-square-sblc-llc-v-us-small-business-administration/

Last updated Aug. 21, 2025, 11:28 p.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-11542980) filed by LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons)(Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/14/2025)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

View on PACER

2 Summons

View on PACER

3 Summons

View on PACER

4 Summons

View on PACER

5 Summons

View on PACER

March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

Clearinghouse
2

SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to KELLY LOEFFLER, UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmtm) (Entered: 03/14/2025)

March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

PACER
3

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC (Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/14/2025)

March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

PACER
4

STANDARD ORDER for Civil Cases. See text for details. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on March 14, 2025. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 03/14/2025)

March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

PACER

Case Assigned/Reassigned

March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

PACER

Case Assigned to Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. (zmtm)

March 14, 2025

March 14, 2025

PACER
5

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- David Andrew Crichlow, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-11550833. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Certificate of Good Standing, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/18/2025)

March 18, 2025

March 18, 2025

PACER
6

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Brian Lee Muldrew, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-11551096. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Certificate of Good Standing, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/18/2025)

March 18, 2025

March 18, 2025

PACER
7

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Christopher T. Vazquez, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-11551161. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Certificate of Good Standing, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/18/2025)

March 18, 2025

March 18, 2025

PACER

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

March 18, 2025

March 18, 2025

PACER

MINUTE ORDER granting 5 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a). Click for instructions. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on March 18, 2025. (lcdlf2)

March 18, 2025

March 18, 2025

PACER

MINUTE ORDER granting 6 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a). Click for instructions. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on March 18, 2025. (lcdlf2)

March 18, 2025

March 18, 2025

PACER

MINUTE ORDER granting 7 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a). Click for instructions. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on March 18, 2025. (lcdlf2)

March 18, 2025

March 18, 2025

PACER
10

NOTICE of Appearance by David Andrew Crichlow on behalf of LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC (Crichlow, David) (Entered: 03/19/2025)

March 19, 2025

March 19, 2025

PACER
8

NOTICE of Appearance by Christopher T. Vazquez on behalf of LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC (Vazquez, Christopher) (Entered: 03/19/2025)

March 19, 2025

March 19, 2025

PACER
9

NOTICE of Appearance by Brian Lee Muldrew on behalf of LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC (Muldrew, Brian) (Entered: 03/19/2025)

March 19, 2025

March 19, 2025

PACER
11

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 03-24-2025. (Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/24/2025)

March 24, 2025

March 24, 2025

PACER
12

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. KELLY LOEFFLER served on 3/24/2025 (Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/24/2025)

March 24, 2025

March 24, 2025

PACER
13

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/24/2025. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/23/2025. (Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/24/2025)

March 24, 2025

March 24, 2025

PACER
14

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION served on 3/24/2025 (Smith, Robert) (Entered: 03/24/2025)

March 24, 2025

March 24, 2025

PACER
15

NOTICE of Appearance by Dimitar Georgiev-Remmel on behalf of All Defendants (Georgiev-Remmel, Dimitar) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
16

Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by KELLY LOEFFLER, UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. (Georgiev-Remmel, Dimitar) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER

Order on Motion for Extension of Time to Answer

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

PACER

MINUTE ORDER granting the defendants' consent 16 Motion for Extension of Time. Accordingly, the defendants shall answer or otherwise respond to the plaintiff's 1 Complaint on or before June 10, 2025. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on May 21, 2025. (lcdlf2)

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

PACER
17

ANSWER to Complaint by KELLY LOEFFLER, UNITED STATES SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.(Georgiev-Remmel, Dimitar) (Entered: 06/09/2025)

June 9, 2025

June 9, 2025

PACER

.Order AND ~Util - Set/Reset Deadlines

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

PACER

MINUTE ORDER. It is ORDERED that the parties shall MEET AND CONFER and file a joint status report proposing a schedule for proceedings in this matter. The parties shall file the joint status report on or before July 14, 2025. It shall (1) state whether the case would benefit from alternative dispute resolution and whether the parties request referral for mediation or settlement; and (2) propose a schedule in compliance with Local Rule 7(n), including proposed deadlines for filing dispositive motions, a certified list of the contents of the administrative record, and an appendix of the administrative record. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on June 12, 2025. (lcdlf2)

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

PACER
18

Joint STATUS REPORT by LAFAYETTE SQUARE SBLC, LLC. (Smith, Robert) (Entered: 07/14/2025)

July 14, 2025

July 14, 2025

PACER

.Order

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

PACER

MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, it is ordered that the following schedule shall govern further proceedings: on or before August 28, 2025, the defendants shall produce the administrative record to the plaintiff and file a certified list of the contents of the record; on or before September 29, 2025, the plaintiff shall file any request for supplementation of the administrative record; on or before October 27, 2025, the plaintiff shall file any dispositive motion; on or before November 26, 2025, the defendants shall file their opposition to the plaintiff's dispositive motion and any cross-dispositive motion; on or before January 5, 2026, the plaintiff shall file its reply and opposition to the defendants' cross-motion; on or before January 26, 2026, the defendants shall file their reply; and on or before February 9, 2026, the parties shall file a joint appendix of portions of the administrative record cited or relied upon in any dispositive motion. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on July 30, 2025. (lcdlf2)

July 30, 2025

July 30, 2025

PACER

Set/Reset Deadlines

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

PACER
19

Vacate

Aug. 18, 2025

Aug. 18, 2025

PACER

Order on Motion to Vacate AND Set/Reset Deadlines AND Terminate Deadlines

Aug. 19, 2025

Aug. 19, 2025

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory: District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government (Spending Freezes/Cuts)

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 14, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

LaFayette Square SBLC, an investment platform focused on underserved communities

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

U.S. Small Business Administration (- United States (national) -), Federal

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.

Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Nature of Relief:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

General/Misc.:

Other