Case: State of California v. United States Department of Transportation

2:25-cv-02574 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington

Filed Date: Dec. 16, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

[This summary is temporary while we research this case.]

On December 16, 2025, Plaintiff states filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington against the U.S. Department of Transportation. In their complaint, Plaintiffs detail that shortly into his presidency, President Trump issued the executive order Unleashing American Energy, which, in a section titled “Terminating the Green New Deal,” directed all federal agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 … or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act”—including, specifically, “funds for electric vehicle charging stations made available through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure [NEVI] Formula Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure [CFI] Discretionary Grant Program.”  

This case is ongoing.

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72042658/parties/state-of-california-v-united-states-department-of-transportation/


Attorney for Plaintiff

Brown, Leah (Washington)

Soden, Caitlin (Washington)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

2:25-cv-02574

Complaint

State of California et al. v. U.S. Department of Transportation et al.

Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

Complaint

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72042658/state-of-california-v-united-states-department-of-transportation/

Last updated Dec. 26, 2025, 12:26 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against defendant(s) All Plaintiffs (Receipt # AWAWDC-9351175) Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party Commonwealth of Massachusetts(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party District of Columbia(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Arizona(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of California(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Colorado(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Delaware(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Illinois(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Maryland(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Michigan (pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of New Jersey(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of New York(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Oregon(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Rhode Island (pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Vermont(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Washington(pty:pla), Attorney Caitlin Soden added to party State of Wisconsin (pty:pla) filed by State of New Jersey, State of Illinois, State of Colorado, State of Wisconsin, State of California, State of Vermont, State of Oregon, District of Columbia, State of Washington, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State of New York, Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, State of Rhode Island, State of Maryland, State of Arizona, State of Michigan, State of Delaware. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Exhibit 3, # 4 Exhibit 4, # 5 Exhibit 5, # 6 Civil Cover Sheet, # 7 Supplement Plaintiffs' Notice of Related Cases, # 8 Summons U.S. DOT, # 9 Summons Sean Duffy, U.S. DOT, # 10 Summons FHWA, # 11 Summons Sean McMaster, FHWA)(Soden, Caitlin) (Entered: 12/16/2025)

1 Exhibit 1

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2 Exhibit 2

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3 Exhibit 3

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4 Exhibit 4

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5 Exhibit 5

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6 Civil Cover Sheet

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7 Supplement Plaintiffs' Notice of Related Cases

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8 Summons U.S. DOT

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9 Summons Sean Duffy, U.S. DOT

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10 Summons FHWA

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11 Summons Sean McMaster, FHWA

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Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

Clearinghouse
2

NOTICE of Appearance by attorney Caitlin Soden on behalf of Plaintiffs Commonwealth of Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, State of Arizona, State of California, State of Colorado, State of Delaware, State of Illinois, State of Maryland, State of Michigan, State of New Jersey, State of New York, State of Oregon, State of Rhode Island, State of Vermont, State of Washington, State of Wisconsin. (Soden, Caitlin) (Entered: 12/16/2025)

Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

3

NOTICE of Appearance by attorney Leah Brown on behalf of Plaintiff State of Washington. (Brown, Leah) (Entered: 12/16/2025)

Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

4

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

5

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

6

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

7

Application

Dec. 16, 2025

Dec. 16, 2025

Notice to PHV and Local Counsel Unable to Process Application

Dec. 17, 2025

Dec. 17, 2025

Order on Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 17, 2025

Dec. 17, 2025

10

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

11

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

12

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

Notice of Docket Text Modification

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

Order on Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

14

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 19, 2025

Dec. 19, 2025

15

Notice of Related Case

Dec. 19, 2025

Dec. 19, 2025

16

TL Order re 28 USC 455 (FORM)

Dec. 19, 2025

Dec. 19, 2025

TL Minute Order re Chambers Procedures

Dec. 19, 2025

Dec. 19, 2025

Order on Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

19

Notice of Appearance

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

20

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

21

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

22

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

23

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

24

Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

25

ORDER re [22] Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice, [20] Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice, [24] Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice, [21] Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice, [23] Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. The Court ADMITS Attorneys Jacob Boyer for Josh Shapiro,Katharine Roller,Robert Henry Weaver for State of Illinois,Patrick Rowe for State of Oregon, and Nicholas M. Vaz for State of Rhode Island, by Clerk Ravi Subramanian. No document associated with this docket entry, text only. NOTE TO COUNSEL: Local counsel agrees to sign all filings and to be prepared to handle the matter, including the trial thereof, in the event the applicant is unable to be present on any date scheduled by the court, pursuant to LCR 83.1(d).(HH)

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

Order on Application for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

Case Details

State / Territory:

Washington

Case Type(s):

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority

Environmental Justice

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Dec. 16, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

Western District of Washington 2:25-cv-02574

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket