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Case TitleCITIZENS UNITED v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2016cv00067
Date Filed2016-01-14
Date Closed2018-06-08
JudgeJudge Christopher R. Cooper
PlaintiffCITIZENS UNITED
Case DescriptionCitizens United submitted four FOIA requests to the Department of State for communications between various individuals at the Clinton Foundation and staff members of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Citizens United requested expedited processing, which the agency granted for two of the requests. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Citizens United filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
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User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2016-01-141COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4377831) filed by CITIZENS UNITED. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Exhibit Exhibit A, # 6 Exhibit Exhibit B, # 7 Exhibit Exhibit C, # 8 Exhibit Exhibit D, # 9 Exhibit Exhibit E, # 10 Exhibit Exhibit F, # 11 Exhibit Exhibit G, # 12 Exhibit Exhibit H, # 13 Exhibit Exhibit I, # 14 Exhibit Exhibit J, # 15 Exhibit Exhibit K, # 16 Exhibit Exhibit L)(Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 01/14/2016)
2016-01-142LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CITIZENS UNITED (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 01/14/2016)
2016-01-143SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Consent Forms)(jd, ) (Entered: 01/14/2016)
2016-01-14Case Assigned to Judge Christopher R. Cooper. (md) (Entered: 01/14/2016)
2016-02-264NOTICE of Appearance by Joseph Evan Borson on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 02/26/2016)
2016-02-265ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 02/26/2016)
2016-02-26MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties promptly confer and file a joint proposed schedule for briefing or disclosure by March 11, 2016. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 2/26/2016. (lccrc2) (Entered: 02/26/2016)
2016-03-076ENTERED IN ERROR. . . . .RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 1/27/2016, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 01/27/16., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/27/2016. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/26/2016.) (Morgan, Jeremiah) Modified on 3/8/2016 (td). (Entered: 03/07/2016)
2016-03-08NOTICE OF ERROR re 6 Summons Returned Executed as to Federal Defendant; emailed to jmorgan@lawandfreedom.com, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Please refile document, 2. Refile the document along with the mailing receipts showing the delivery dates(s). (td, ) (Entered: 03/08/2016)
2016-03-117MEET AND CONFER STATEMENT. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 03/11/2016)
2016-03-14MINUTE ORDER: In light of 7 the parties' Meet and Confer Statement, Defendant is hereby ORDERED to submit a status report, not to exceed five pages, by April 8, 2016, informing the Court of the volume of potentially responsive records along with a proposed schedule for producing responsive, non-exempt documents. It is further ORDERED that Plaintiff file a status report, not to exceed five pages, by April 15, 2016, with its own proposed production schedule. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 3/14/2016. (lccrc2) (Entered: 03/14/2016)
2016-04-088STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 04/08/2016)
2016-04-129STATUS REPORT Plaintiff's Production Schedule by CITIZENS UNITED. (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 04/12/2016)
2016-04-19MINUTE ORDER: In light of 8 , 9 the parties' Status Reports, the Court hereby enters the following production schedule in this case: Defendant shall complete its responsiveness review on June 1, 2016, and file a status report on that date indicating the number of actually responsive documents; Defendant shall make an initial production of responsive documents to Plaintiff on May 23, 2016, and subsequent productions every four weeks; Defendant shall file a status report every four weeks after June 1, 2016, to update the Court on the pace of its production. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 4/19/2016. (lccrc2) (Entered: 04/19/2016)
2016-06-0110STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 06/01/2016)
2016-06-2311MOTION for Order modifying production order by CITIZENS UNITED (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 06/23/2016)
2016-06-2912STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 06/29/2016)
2016-07-0813Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply to Motion for Modification by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Lee, Jason) (Entered: 07/08/2016)
2016-07-08MINUTE ORDER granting 13 Defendant's Motion for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply to 11 Plaintiff's Motion for Modification of Production Schedule. Defendant's response shall be due by July 18, 2016. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 7/8/2016. (lccrc2) (Entered: 07/08/2016)
2016-07-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant's response shall be due by 7/18/2016. (kt) (Entered: 07/11/2016)
2016-07-1814RESPONSE re 11 MOTION for Order modifying production order filed by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Mr. Eric F. Stein)(Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 07/18/2016)
2016-07-2215REPLY to opposition to motion re 11 MOTION for Order modifying production order filed by CITIZENS UNITED. (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 07/22/2016)
2016-07-2716STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 07/27/2016)
2016-08-1617ORDERED that 11 Plaintiff's Motion for Modification of Production Order be GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. The Department shall review and complete processing of a minimum of 300 pages of documents per four-week production period, beginning with the September production period. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 08/16/2016. (lccrc2) (Entered: 08/16/2016)
2016-08-2418STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 08/24/2016)
2016-09-2119STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 09/21/2016)
2016-10-1920STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 10/19/2016)
2016-11-1621STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 11/16/2016)
2016-12-1422STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 12/14/2016)
2017-01-1123STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 01/11/2017)
2017-02-0824STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 02/08/2017)
2017-03-0825STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 03/08/2017)
2017-04-0526STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 04/05/2017)
2017-05-0327STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 05/03/2017)
2017-05-3128STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 05/31/2017)
2017-06-2829STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 06/28/2017)
2017-07-2630STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 07/26/2017)
2017-08-2331STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 08/23/2017)
2017-09-2032STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 09/20/2017)
2017-10-1833STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 10/18/2017)
2017-11-1534STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 11/15/2017)
2017-11-15MINUTE ORDER: In light of 34 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant shall process a minimum of 300 pages every thirty days and produce all responsive, non-exempt records to Plaintiff every thirty days with the first production, if any, due by January 8, 2018. Defendant shall file a status report with the Court ten days after every production. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 11/15/2017. (lccrc2) (Entered: 11/15/2017)
2018-01-1835STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 01/18/2018)
2018-02-2036STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 02/20/2018)
2018-03-1937STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 03/19/2018)
2018-04-1938STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 04/19/2018)
2018-05-2139STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Borson, Joseph) (Entered: 05/21/2018)
2018-06-0740STIPULATION of Dismissal by CITIZENS UNITED. (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 06/07/2018)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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