Case: Metropolitan Transportation Authority v. United States

1:26-cv-00422 | U.S. Court of Federal Claims

Filed Date: March 17, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a New York public benefit corporation responsible for North America's largest public transportation network, filed suit against the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) on March 17, 2026, in the United States Court of Federal Claims. The MTA alleged that DOT breached a Full Funding Grant Agreement by suspending $58.6 million in reimbursement payments for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway Project on September 30, 2025. While DOT claimed the suspension was for a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program compliance review, the MTA contended it was actually political retaliation against New York Democrats during federal shutdown negotiations. The MTA asserted that it had complied with all contractual requirements and that DOT failed to follow proper breach procedures requiring 90 days' notice and opportunity to cure. The complaint included four breach of contract counts and sought money damages of $58,643,339.10 for unpaid reimbursements, plus additional damages, consequential damages, and pre- and post-judgment interest.

This case is ongoing.

show full summary

Summary Authors

Jinan Abufarha (3/18/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72503935/parties/metropolitan-transportation-authority-v-united-states/

Attorney for Plaintiff

Crema, Maximilian (- International -)

Kaplan, Roberta A. (- International -)

Trice, Dennis Brandon (- International -)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Crema, Maximilian (- International -)

Kaplan, Roberta A. (- International -)

Trice, Dennis Brandon (- International -)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

show all people

Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 1:26-cv-00422	Complaint Metropolitan Transportation Authority v. United States of America	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026 Complaint

show / hide documents

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72503935/metropolitan-transportation-authority-v-united-states/

Last updated April 13, 2026, 3:10 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT against USA (118) (Filing fee $405, Receipt number AUSFCC-11155131) (Copy Served Electronically on Department of Justice), filed by METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. Answer due by 5/18/2026. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit Exhibit 2, # 3 Exhibit Exhibit 4, # 4 Exhibit Exhibit 5, # 5 Exhibit Exhibit 6, # 6 Exhibit Exhibit 7, # 7 Exhibit Exhibit 8, # 8 Exhibit Exhibit 9, # 9 Exhibit Exhibit 10, # 10 Exhibit Exhibit 11, # 11 Exhibit Exhibit 12, # 12 Exhibit Exhibit 13, # 13 Exhibit Exhibit 14, # 14 Exhibit Exhibit 15, # 15 Exhibit Exhibit 16, # 16 Exhibit Exhibit 17, # 17 Exhibit Exhibit 18, # 18 Exhibit Exhibit 19, # 19 Exhibit Exhibit 20, # 20 Exhibit Exhibit 21, # 21 Exhibit Exhibit 22, # 22 Exhibit Exhibit 23, # 23 Exhibit Exhibit 24, # 24 Exhibit Exhibit 25, # 25 Exhibit Exhibit 26, # 26 Exhibit Exhibit 27, # 27 Exhibit Exhibit 28, # 28 Exhibit Exhibit 29, # 29 Exhibit Exhibit 30, # 30 Exhibit Exhibit 31, # 31 Exhibit Exhibit 32, # 32 Exhibit Exhibit 33, # 33 Exhibit Exhibit 34, # 34 Exhibit Exhibit 35, # 35 Exhibit Exhibit 36, # 36 Exhibit Exhibit 37, # 37 Exhibit Exhibit 38, # 38 Exhibit Exhibit 39, # 39 Exhibit Exhibit 40, # 40 Exhibit Exhibit 41, # 41 Exhibit Exhibit 42, # 42 Exhibit Exhibit 43, # 43 Civil Cover Sheet)(tb) (Additional attachment(s) added on 3/17/2026: # 44 Exhibit (Exhibit 1-SEALED), # 45 Exhibit (Exhibit 2-SEALED), # 46 Exhibit (Exhibit 3-SEALED), # 47 Exhibit (Exhibit 6-SEALED)) (tb). Modified on 3/17/2026 to add sealed exhibits (tb). (Entered: 03/17/2026) 3 Exhibit Exhibit 4 View on PACER 4 Exhibit Exhibit 5 View on PACER 6 Exhibit Exhibit 7 View on PACER 7 Exhibit Exhibit 8 View on PACER 8 Exhibit Exhibit 9 View on PACER 9 Exhibit Exhibit 10 View on PACER 10 Exhibit Exhibit 11 View on PACER 11 Exhibit Exhibit 12 View on PACER 12 Exhibit Exhibit 13 View on PACER 13 Exhibit Exhibit 14 View on PACER 14 Exhibit Exhibit 15 View on PACER 15 Exhibit Exhibit 16 View on PACER 16 Exhibit Exhibit 17 View on PACER 17 Exhibit Exhibit 18 View on PACER 18 Exhibit Exhibit 19 View on PACER 19 Exhibit Exhibit 20 View on PACER 20 Exhibit Exhibit 21 View on PACER 21 Exhibit Exhibit 22 View on PACER 22 Exhibit Exhibit 23 View on PACER 23 Exhibit Exhibit 24 View on PACER 24 Exhibit Exhibit 25 View on PACER 25 Exhibit Exhibit 26 View on PACER 26 Exhibit Exhibit 27 View on PACER 27 Exhibit Exhibit 28 View on PACER 28 Exhibit Exhibit 29 View on PACER 29 Exhibit Exhibit 30 View on PACER 30 Exhibit Exhibit 31 View on PACER 31 Exhibit Exhibit 32 View on PACER 32 Exhibit Exhibit 33 View on PACER 33 Exhibit Exhibit 34 View on PACER 34 Exhibit Exhibit 35 View on PACER 35 Exhibit Exhibit 36 View on PACER 36 Exhibit Exhibit 37 View on PACER 37 Exhibit Exhibit 38 View on PACER 38 Exhibit Exhibit 39 View on PACER 39 Exhibit Exhibit 40 View on RECAP 40 Exhibit Exhibit 41 View on PACER 41 Exhibit Exhibit 42 View on PACER 42 Exhibit Exhibit 43 View on PACER 43 Civil Cover Sheet View on PACER	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026 Clearinghouse
2	MOTION to Seal Document 1 Sealed Exhibits (1,2,3,and 6) to the Complaint,,,,,,, filed by METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. Service: 3/17/26. Response due by 3/31/2026.(tb) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
3	MOTION For Expedited Briefing, filed by METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. Service: 3/17/26. Response due by 3/31/2026.(tb) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
4	NOTICE of Indirectly Related Case(s) [26-176], filed by METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. Service: 3/17/26.(tb) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
5	NOTICE of Designation of Electronic Case. (tb) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
6	Notice of Random Assignment Pursuant to Rule 40.1(a) to Judge Philip S. Hadji. (tb) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
7	NOTICE of Manner of Service. (tb) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
8	NOTICE of Appearance by Dennis Brandon Trice for METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY . (Trice, Dennis) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
9	NOTICE of Appearance by Maximilian Crema for METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY . (Crema, Maximilian) (Entered: 03/17/2026)	March 17, 2026	March 17, 2026
10	SCHEDULING ORDER: Government's Response to 3 Plaintiff's Motion for Expedited Briefing due by 3/20/2026. Plaintiff's Reply due by 3/25/2026. Signed by Judge Philip S. Hadji. (jb) Service on parties made. (Entered: 03/18/2026)	March 18, 2026	March 18, 2026
11	NOTICE of Appearance by Geoffrey M. Long for USA . (Long, Geoffrey) (Entered: 03/20/2026)	March 20, 2026	March 20, 2026
12	RESPONSE to 3 MOTION to Expedite, filed by USA.Reply due by 3/27/2026. (Long, Geoffrey) (Entered: 03/20/2026)	March 20, 2026	March 20, 2026
13	MOTION for Partial Summary Judgment (Counts I - III), filed by METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.Response due by 4/17/2026. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Jaibala Patel, dated March 20, 2026, # 2 Exhibit 1 - Reimbursement Request Table, # 3 Exhibit 2 - February 25, 2026 Letter from the MTA to DOT, # 4 Declaration of D. Brandon Trice, dated March 20, 2026)(Kaplan, Roberta) (Entered: 03/20/2026)	March 20, 2026	March 20, 2026
14	ORDER granting in part and denying in part 3 Motion to Expedite. Government's Response due by 4/7/2026. Plaintiff's Reply due by 4/13/2026 11:00 AM. Oral Argument set for 4/16/2026 1:30 PM before Judge Philip S. Hadji. Signed by Judge Philip S. Hadji. (jb) Service on parties made. Modified on 3/24/2026 correct Oral Argument time (tb). (Entered: 03/24/2026)	March 24, 2026	March 24, 2026 RECAP
	Order on Motion to Seal Document	March 24, 2026	March 24, 2026
	ORDER granting 2 Motion to Seal Document. Signed by Judge Philip S. Hadji. (jb) Service on parties made.	March 24, 2026	March 24, 2026
15	NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua A. Mandlebaum for USA . (Mandlebaum, Joshua) (Entered: 03/25/2026)	March 25, 2026	March 25, 2026
	Set Scheduled Proceeding Hearing Deadline	March 25, 2026	March 25, 2026
	Scheduled Proceeding Hearing Set: REPORTER PRESENT. Oral Argument set for 4/16/2026 01:30 PM in Courtroom 5 before Judge Philip S. Hadji. (tb)	March 25, 2026	March 25, 2026
16	Response to Motion to Dismiss/Summary Judgment	April 7, 2026	April 7, 2026
	Remark (Defective Filing) (Public)	April 8, 2026	April 8, 2026
17	Order	April 9, 2026	April 9, 2026 RECAP

show / hide docket entries

Case Details

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Grant/Contract rescissions, Defunding or Other Threats against Private Entities

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 17, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

MTA is a public benefit corporation responsible for North America’s largest public transportation network, serving 15.3 million people across 5,000 square miles in NYC, Long Island, southeastern NY, Northeastern NJ, and Southern CT. An MTA subsidiary, MTA Construction & Development, is the lead agency responsible for the planning, design, and construction of the Second Avenue Subway.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Public (for-profit) corporation

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Federal

United States of America

Case Details

Other Dockets:

U.S. Court of Federal Claims 1:26-cv-00422

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Damages

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Recommended Citation

Case Summary of Metropolitan Transportation Authority v. United States, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47912/ (last updated 3/18/2026).