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Case TitleWESTERN VALUES PROJECT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2017cv00757
Date Filed2017-04-25
Date Closed2020-12-07
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffWESTERN VALUES PROJECT
Case DescriptionWestern Values Project submitted four FOIA requests to the Department of the Interior for records concerning former agency employee David Bernhardt. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests, but aside from an indication that one of the requests had been completed, Western Values Project heard nothing further from the agency. Western Values Project then filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
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

2017-04-251COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4926863) filed by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibits to Complaint, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet, # 3 LCvR7.1, # 4 Summons)(Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 04/25/2017)
2017-04-252LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT (md) (Entered: 04/25/2017)
2017-04-25Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (md) (Entered: 04/25/2017)
2017-04-273SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice of Consent) (md) (Entered: 04/27/2017)
2017-05-164RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 5/2/2017. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 6/1/2017. (Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 05/16/2017)
2017-05-165RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 05/02/2017. (Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 05/16/2017)
2017-05-166RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR served on 5/1/2017 (Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 05/16/2017)
2017-06-017ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/01/2017)
2017-06-08MINUTE ORDER SETTING DEADLINES: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues and that contains a proposed schedule and proposed order not later than 6/30/17. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 6/8/17. (DJS) (Entered: 06/08/2017)
2017-06-09Set/Reset Deadlines: The parties shall file a joint status report that contains a proposed schedule and proposed order by 6/30/17. (jth) (Entered: 06/09/2017)
2017-06-308Joint STATUS REPORT of the Parties by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order)(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/30/2017)
2017-07-01MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' Joint Status Report 8 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another Joint Status Report by August 30, 2017, along with a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/1/17. (DJS) (Entered: 07/01/2017)
2017-07-02Set/Reset Deadlines: The parties shall file another Joint Status Report along with a proposed order by 8/30/2017. (jth) (Entered: 07/02/2017)
2017-08-309Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order)(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/30/2017)
2017-08-31MINTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' Joint Status Report 9 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint status report by November 1, 2017 and every 60 days thereafter. To the extent the report contains a proposed briefing schedule, the parties shall also submit a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 8/31/17. (DJS) (Entered: 08/31/2017)
2017-09-04Set/Reset Deadlines: The parties shall file another joint status report by 11/1/2017 and every 60 days thereafter. To the extent the status report contains a proposed briefing schedule, the parties shall also submit a proposed order. (jth) (Entered: 09/04/2017)
2017-11-0110Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/01/2017)
2018-01-23MINUTE ORDER: On 8/31/17 the court entered an order directing the parties to file a Joint Status Report by 11/1/17 and every 60 days thereafter. The parties filed a report on 11/17/17, but more than sixty days have elapsed since then and the parties have not filed another report or sought an extension of time in which to do so. Accordingly, the parties shall file their status report by 1/26/18 and every sixty days thereafter. To the extent the status report contains a proposed briefing schedule, the parties shall also submit a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 1/23/18. (DJS) (Entered: 01/23/2018)
2018-01-2411Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/24/2018)
2018-01-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/26/2018. (tb) (Entered: 01/24/2018)
2018-03-2212Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 03/22/2018)
2018-05-2113Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 05/21/2018)
2018-07-1914Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 07/19/2018)
2018-11-1515Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/15/2018)
2019-01-1616Unopposed MOTION to Stay , Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to All Deadlines by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/16/2019)
2019-01-18MINUTE ORDER : Granting 16 Motion to Stay; Granting 16 Motion for Extension of Deadlines. This action is herby STAYED until appropriations are restored to the Department of Justice. All pending deadlines are extended for a period of time equal to the calendar day duration of the lapse in appropriations. The parties shall file a joint status report within fourteen (14) calendar days after Congress has appropriated funds for the Department of Justice, notifying the Court that the appropriations lapse has ceased and proposing new deadlines for pending matters. The joint status report shall contain a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 1/18/19. (DJS) (Entered: 01/18/2019)
2019-02-0717Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order)(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 02/07/2019)
2019-02-27MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 17 it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint status report by April 9, 2019, and every 60 days thereafter. To the extent the status report contains a proposed briefing schedule, the parties shall also submit a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 2/27/19. (DJS) (Entered: 02/27/2019)
2019-02-27Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/9/2019. (tb) (Entered: 02/27/2019)
2019-02-28MINUTE ORDER LIFTING STAY. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 2/28/19. (DJS) (Entered: 02/28/2019)
2019-04-0918Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 04/09/2019)
2019-04-1719NOTICE of Appearance by Jonathan Standish Massey on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Massey, Jonathan) (Entered: 04/17/2019)
2019-04-1820NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. Attorney Scott Allan Hodes terminated. (Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 04/18/2019)
2019-06-0421NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew M. Collette on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Collette, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2019)
2019-06-1022Joint STATUS REPORT by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Collette, Matthew) (Entered: 06/10/2019)
2019-08-0523Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/05/2019)
2019-11-0724Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/07/2019)
2020-01-0925Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/09/2020)
2020-03-1026Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 03/10/2020)
2020-08-13MINUTE ORDER: On 2/27/2019 this court entered an order directing the parties in this FOIA action to file a joint status report by 4/9/19 and every sixty days thereafter. Although the parties have not sought to be relieved from the obligation of filing the reports, they filed their last report over five months ago on 3/10/2020. Accordingly, the parties shall file a joint status report by 9/1/2020 and every sixty days thereafter. Failure to comply with this order may result in dismissal of this action without further notice for failure to prosecute. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 8/13/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/1/2020. (tb) (Entered: 08/14/2020)
2020-09-0127Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 09/01/2020)
2020-11-0228Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/02/2020)
2020-12-0729STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 12/07/2020)
2020-12-07MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint stipulation of dismissal 29 , this action is hereby dismissed with prejudice. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 12/7/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 12/07/2020)
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