Successful Writ of Mandate. Person was waiting for over 4 years for fingerprints to supposedly go through. The specific process for obtaining this type of legal redress will vary depending on where you live. However, in general, the process for filing a writ of mandate involves two stages: (1) the exhaustion of administrative remedies and (2) the request for a writ of mandate. Before you can file a request for a writ of mandate in a court, you must first exhaust all available administrative remedies. This means you must take every opportunity to appeal an agency decision provided by that agency’s administrative processes before you can take your case to court. You cannot request a writ of mandate simply because you disagree with the decision. Before making any decisions, it’s a good idea to discuss your child’s situation with a knowledgeable education attorney.