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Case TitleCITIZENS UNITED v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv01252
Date Filed2018-05-30
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amy Berman Jackson
PlaintiffCITIZENS UNITED
Case DescriptionCitizens United submitted FOIA requests to the Department of State for records concerning contracts awarded to Christopher Steele, Fusion GPS, Sidney Blumenthal, and others. Citizens United also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but told Citizens United that it was closing the request for failure to sufficiently describe the records with a contract number. Since the State Department did not inform Citizens United of its right to appeal, it did not appeal the closing of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Citizens United filed suit.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Vaughn index, Adequacy - Search, Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2018-05-301COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5506057) filed by CITIZENS UNITED. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons to Attorney General, # 3 Summons to Dept of State, # 4 Summons US Attorney, # 5 Exhibit A, # 6 Exhibit B, # 7 Exhibit C)(Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 05/30/2018)
2018-05-302LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CITIZENS UNITED (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 05/30/2018)
2018-05-30Case Assigned to Judge Amy Berman Jackson. (zsth) (Entered: 05/30/2018)
2018-05-303SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsth) (Entered: 05/30/2018)
2018-07-114NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 07/11/2018)
2018-07-115Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 07/11/2018)
2018-07-13MINUTE ORDER granting 5 Consent Motion for Extension of Time. Defendant must file an answer or otherwise respond to plaintiff's complaint by September 10, 2018. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 07/13/2018. (lcabj3) (Entered: 07/13/2018)
2018-09-106ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 09/10/2018)
2018-09-12MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of Local Civil Rule 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure appear to be inapplicable. Defendant shall file a dispositive motion or, in the alternative, a report setting forth the schedule for the completion of its production of documents to plaintiff, on or before October 10, 2018. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 09/12/2018. (lcabj3) (Entered: 09/12/2018)
2018-10-107STATUS REPORT and Proposed Schedule by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 10/10/2018)
2018-10-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's status report 7 , it is ORDERED that the parties shall file by November 7, 2018 a joint status report on defendant's search and a proposal for further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 10/11/18. (DMK) (Entered: 10/11/2018)
2018-10-11Set/Reset Deadlines: the parties shall file by 11/7/2018 a Joint Status Report on defendant's search and a proposal for further proceedings. (jth) (Entered: 10/11/2018)
2018-11-078Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/07/2018)
2018-11-08MINUTE ORDER. The parties must submit an updated status report by November 28, 2018, if the matter has not been resolved by then. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 11/08/2018. (lcabj3) (Entered: 11/08/2018)
2018-11-289Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/28/2018)
2018-11-28MINUTE ORDER. The parties must file an updated status report by January 8, 2019, if the matter has not been resolved by then. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 11/28/2018. (lcabj3) (Entered: 11/28/2018)
2019-01-0710Unopposed MOTION to Stay in Light of Lapse in Appropriations by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 01/07/2019)
2019-01-09MINUTE ORDER granting 10 Motion to Stay. Defendant must notify the Court within two business days of the resumption of government operations and propose a revised schedule for the filing of the joint status report that was due on January 8, 2019. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 1/9/19. (DMK) (Entered: 01/09/2019)
2019-01-2911NOTICE of Restored Government Funding and Proposed Schedule by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 01/29/2019)
2019-01-29MINUTE ORDER. In light of the government's notice 11 , the stay in this case is lifted and the parties must submit a joint status report by February 12, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 01/29/2019. (lcabj3) (Entered: 01/29/2019)
2019-02-1212Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 02/12/2019)
2019-02-15MINUTE ORDER. The parties must file a joint status report by February 26, 2019, if the matter has not been resolved by then. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 02/15/2019. (lcabj3) (Entered: 02/15/2019)
2019-02-2613STIPULATION of Dismissal by CITIZENS UNITED. (Morgan, Jeremiah) (Entered: 02/26/2019)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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