Case: City and County of San Francisco v. United States Department of Justice

3:25-cv-09277 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Filed Date: Oct. 28, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

(This summary is temporary, while we research the case.)

On October 28, 2025, three major municipalities including the City of San Francisco sued the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pamela Bondi, challenging the Trump Administration’s new conditions on 2025 COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) grants. Plaintiffs argued that these conditions unlawfully forced cities to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, obey all current and future executive orders, and comply with vague funding bans—violating the separation of powers, the Spending Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Plaintiffs sought to enjoin the DOJ and COPS from enforcing these or similar terms, vacate the challenged conditions under the APA, and order that statutory compliance be interpreted as defined by Congress and the courts.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Madena Mustafa (11/4/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71788745/parties/city-and-county-of-san-francisco-v-united-states-department-of-justice/


Judge(s)

Donato, James (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Chiu, David S. (California)

Clara, County of (California)

Tucson, City of (California)

show all people

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

3:25-cv-09277

Complaint

Oct. 28, 2025

Oct. 28, 2025

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71788745/city-and-county-of-san-francisco-v-united-states-department-of-justice/

Last updated Nov. 6, 2025, 10:03 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF against PAMELA J. BONDI, CORY D. RANDOLPH, The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, United States Department of Justice ( Filing fee $ 405, receipt number ACANDC-21288878.). Injunction against the US government/official or APA vacatur requested. Filed by CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO. (Chiu, David) (Filed on 10/28/2025) (Entered: 10/28/2025)

Oct. 28, 2025

Oct. 28, 2025

Clearinghouse
2

Proposed Summons. (Chiu, David) (Filed on 10/28/2025) (Entered: 10/28/2025)

Oct. 28, 2025

Oct. 28, 2025

3

Case assigned to Judge James Donato. Counsel for plaintiff or the removing party is responsible for serving the Complaint or Notice of Removal, Summons and the assigned judge's standing orders and all other new case documents upon the opposing parties. For information, visit E-Filing A New Civil Case at http://cand.uscourts.gov/ecf/caseopening.Standing orders can be downloaded from the court's web page at www.cand.uscourts.gov/judges. Upon receipt, the summons will be issued and returned electronically. A scheduling order will be sent by Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) within two business days. (pjf, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/29/2025) (Entered: 10/29/2025)

Oct. 29, 2025

Oct. 29, 2025

4

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Sara Jennifer Eisenberg on behalf of CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO (Eisenberg, Sara) (Filed on 10/29/2025)

Oct. 29, 2025

Oct. 29, 2025

5

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Yvonne Rosil Mere on behalf of CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO (Mere, Yvonne) (Filed on 10/29/2025)

Oct. 29, 2025

Oct. 29, 2025

~Util - Case Assigned by Intake

Oct. 29, 2025

Oct. 29, 2025

Notice of Appearance/Substitution/Change/Withdrawal of Attorney

Oct. 29, 2025

Oct. 29, 2025

10

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Bill Nguyen on behalf of County of Santa Clara (Nguyen, Bill) (Filed on 10/30/2025)

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

11

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Jessica Elaine Lanier on behalf of CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO (Lanier, Jessica) (Filed on 10/30/2025)

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

12

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Karun Tilak on behalf of CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO (Tilak, Karun) (Filed on 10/30/2025)

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

6

MOTION for leave to appear in Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 328, receipt number ACANDC-21294397.) filed by City of Tucson. (Attachments: (1) Certificate of Good Standing)(Nassen, Regina) (Filed on 10/30/2025)

1 Certificate of Good Standing

View on RECAP

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

RECAP
7

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Meredith Anne Johnson on behalf of County of Santa Clara (Johnson, Meredith) (Filed on 10/30/2025)

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

8

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Anthony J LoPresti on behalf of County of Santa Clara (LoPresti, Anthony) (Filed on 10/30/2025)

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

9

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Kavita Kandala Narayan on behalf of County of Santa Clara (Narayan, Kavita) (Filed on 10/30/2025)

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

Notice of Appearance/Substitution/Change/Withdrawal of Attorney

Oct. 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025

13

ORDER by Judge James Donato granting [6] Motion for Pro Hac Vice. (lrc, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/31/2025)

Oct. 31, 2025

Oct. 31, 2025

RECAP
14

Summons Issued as to Pamela J. Bondi, Cory D. Randolph, The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, United States Department of Justice. (kmg, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/31/2025)

Oct. 31, 2025

Oct. 31, 2025

RECAP
15

Initial Case Management Scheduling Order with ADR Deadlines: Case Management Statement due by 1/22/2026. Initial Case Management Conference set for 1/29/2026 10:00 AM in San Francisco, Courtroom 11, 19th Floor. (kmg, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/31/2025)

Oct. 31, 2025

Oct. 31, 2025

RECAP
16

NOTICE of Appearance filed by Mollie M Lee on behalf of City and County of San Francisco (Lee, Mollie) (Filed on 10/31/2025)

Oct. 31, 2025

Oct. 31, 2025

Notice of Appearance/Substitution/Change/Withdrawal of Attorney

Oct. 31, 2025

Oct. 31, 2025

17

AMENDED COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF against Pamela J. Bondi, Cory D. Randolph, The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, United States Department of Justice. Filed by City and County of San Francisco. (Chiu, David) (Filed on 11/4/2025)

Nov. 4, 2025

Nov. 4, 2025

RECAP
18

Notice of Additional Parties: the following parties are listed on [1] Complaint, and have been added to this case: City of San Diego and City of San Diego. (This is a text-only entry.) (Chiu, David) (Filed on 11/4/2025)

Nov. 4, 2025

Nov. 4, 2025

Notice of Additional Parties

Nov. 4, 2025

Nov. 4, 2025

Case Details

State / Territory:

California

Case Type(s):

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Oct. 28, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

The City and County of San Francisco, the County of Santa Clara, and the City of Tucson

Plaintiff Type(s):

City/County Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

U.S. Department of Justice (District of Columbia), Federal

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

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

Ex Parte Young (Federal) or Bivens

Constitutional Clause(s):

Separation of Powers

Spending/Appropriations Clauses

Other Dockets:

Northern District of California 3:25-cv-09277

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

General/Misc.:

Funding

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority:

Commandeering