Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitlePUBLIC CITIZEN, INC. v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv00691
Date Filed2018-03-28
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Trevor N. McFadden
PlaintiffPUBLIC CITIZEN, INC.
Case DescriptionPublic Citizen submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Education for records concerning the agency's TEACH Grant program, which provides grants up to $4,000 a year for teachers pursuing higher education to work as teachers. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency provided an interim response consisting of 1,026 unredacted pages described as TEACH Grant documents. After Public Citizen inquired about its response, the agency told Public Citizen that the disclosure was actually meant to be its final response rather than an interim response. Public Citizen filed an administrative appeal, arguing that the search was inadequate. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Public Citizen filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text
2018-03-281COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5392676) filed by PUBLIC CITIZEN, INC..(Murray, Julie) (Additional attachment(s) added on 3/29/2018: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons) (zsth). (Entered: 03/28/2018)
2018-03-28Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (zsth) (Entered: 03/29/2018)
2018-03-292SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsth) (Entered: 03/29/2018)
2018-03-293LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by PUBLIC CITIZEN, INC. (Murray, Julie) (Entered: 03/29/2018)
2018-03-304STANDING ORDER Establishing Procedures for Cases Before Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The parties are hereby ORDERED to read and comply with the directives in the attached standing order. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 3/30/18. (lctnm1) (Entered: 03/30/2018)
2018-04-025RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/2/2018. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/2/2018. (Murray, Julie) (Entered: 04/02/2018)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff