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Case TitleDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv02464
Date Filed2018-10-25
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionDemocracy Forward Foundations submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Energy for records concerning the approval process for issuance and cancellation of DOE's Solar Energy Technology Office FOA FY 2018. DFF also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and granted DFF's request for a fee waiver. After hearing nothing further from the agency, DFF filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2018-10-251COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5759243) filed by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Lewis, John) (Entered: 10/25/2018)
2018-10-25Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zmd) (Entered: 10/26/2018)
2018-10-262LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION (Lewis, John) (Entered: 10/26/2018)
2018-10-313SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice to Counsel/Party) (zmd) (Entered: 10/31/2018)
2018-11-154RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 11/7/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 12/7/2018.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 11/7/2018., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY served on 11/14/2018 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration Proof of Service)(Lewis, John) (Entered: 11/15/2018)
2018-12-065ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.(Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 12/06/2018)
2018-12-076ORDER: Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before December 21, 2018. See attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/07/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 12/07/2018)
2018-12-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/21/2018. (zjd) (Entered: 12/10/2018)
2018-12-217Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Lewis, John) (Entered: 12/21/2018)
2018-12-21MINUTE ORDER. Parties shall submit an additional Joint Status Report in this case on or before 1/24/2019. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/21/2018. (lcapm2) (Entered: 12/21/2018)
2018-12-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/24/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 12/26/2018)
2019-01-228Consent MOTION to Stay , MOTION for Extension of Time to in Light of Lapse of Appropriations by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hudak, Brian) (Entered: 01/22/2019)
2019-01-23MINUTE ORDER granting Defendant's 8 Consent Motion for Stay and Extension of Time. This matter is hereby stayed. Within fourteen days of Department of Justice operations resuming, the parties shall submit a Joint Status Report that proposes a schedule for further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/23/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 01/23/2019)
2019-02-089Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Lewis, John) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-02-08MINUTE ORDER. In light of 9 the parties' Joint Status Report, the parties shall submit a subsequent Joint Status Report on or before March 15, 2019, providing the court with an update on production. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 02/08/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-02-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/15/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-03-1310NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Derek S. Hammond on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Substituting for attorney Benton G. Peterson (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 03/13/2019)
2019-03-1511Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Lewis, John) (Entered: 03/15/2019)
2019-03-18MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file their next Joint Status Report, updating the court on the status of production, by April 15, 2019. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 03/18/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 03/18/2019)
2019-03-18Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/15/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 03/22/2019)
2019-04-1512Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 04/15/2019)
2019-04-16MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file their next Joint Status Report, updating the court on the status of production, by June 15, 2019. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 04/16/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 04/16/2019)
2019-04-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/15/2019. (tb) (Entered: 04/16/2019)
2019-06-1413Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Lewis, John) (Entered: 06/14/2019)
2019-06-14MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file their next Joint Status Report by August 15, 2019. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 06/14/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 06/14/2019)
2019-06-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/15/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 06/17/2019)
2019-08-1514Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 08/15/2019)
2019-08-15MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file their next Joint Status Report by October 15, 2019. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 08/15/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 08/15/2019)
2019-08-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/15/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 08/16/2019)
2019-10-1515Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 10/15/2019)
2019-10-16MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by November 15, 2019, which advises whether summary judgment briefing will be required and, if so, proposes a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/16/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
2019-10-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/15/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
2019-11-1416Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. (Truong, John) (Entered: 11/14/2019)
2019-11-15MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by December 16, 2019, which advises whether summary judgment briefing will be required and, if so, proposes a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/15/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2019-11-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/16/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2019-11-1517NOTICE of Appearance by John Cuong Truong on behalf of All Defendants (Truong, John) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2019-12-1618Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. (Truong, John) (Entered: 12/16/2019)
2019-12-17MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 22, 2020, which advises whether summary judgment briefing will be required and, if so, proposes a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/17/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 12/17/2019)
2019-12-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/22/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 12/17/2019)
2020-01-2219Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Lewis, John) (Entered: 01/22/2020)
2020-01-23MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by February 21, 2020, which advises whether summary judgment briefing will be required and, if so, proposes a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/23/2020. (lcapm3) (Entered: 01/23/2020)
2020-01-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/21/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 01/24/2020)
2020-02-2120Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 02/21/2020)
2020-02-21MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by March 13, 2020, which proposes a schedule for further proceedings, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 02/21/2020. (lcapm3) (Entered: 02/21/2020)
2020-02-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/13/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 02/24/2020)
2020-03-0921STIPULATION of Dismissal by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Lewis, John) (Entered: 03/09/2020)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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