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Case TitleSHORELIGHT EDUCATION, LLC v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv00282
Date Filed2019-02-01
Date Closed2019-10-21
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffSHORELIGHT EDUCATION, LLC
Case DescriptionShorelight Education, which works with universities to facilitate study by foreign students, submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning statistics on F-1 student visa denials. Shorelight Education also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and denied Shorelight's request for expedited processing. Shorelight filed an administrative appeal of the agency's denial of expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Shorelight Education filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Expedited processing, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
2201 C St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20520
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2019-02-011COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5923334) filed by SHORELIGHT EDUCATION, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet, # 5 Summons)(Haller, David) (Attachment 4 replaced on 2/4/2019) (zef, ). (Entered: 02/01/2019)
2019-02-04Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zef, ) (Entered: 02/04/2019)
2019-02-042SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Additional attachment(s) added on 2/4/2019: # 2 Summons). Modified on 2/4/2019 (zmd). (Entered: 02/04/2019)
2019-02-063RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 2/5/2019 (Haller, David) Modified entry. Service has not been received on the U.S. Attorney or U.S. Attorney General on 2/6/2019 (ztd). (Entered: 02/06/2019)
2019-03-124RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 03/11/2019. (Haller, David) (Entered: 03/12/2019)
2019-03-125RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/11/2019. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/10/2019. (Haller, David) (Entered: 03/12/2019)
2019-03-156NOTICE of Appearance by Paul Cirino on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 03/15/2019)
2019-04-017NOTICE of Appearance by Leon Fresco on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Fresco, Leon) (Main Document 7 replaced on 4/1/2019) (ztd). (Entered: 04/01/2019)
2019-04-048Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 04/04/2019)
2019-04-04MINUTE ORDER: Granting 8 Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint by 4/30/19. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/4/19. (DJS) (Entered: 04/04/2019)
2019-04-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer due by 4/30/2019. (tb) (Entered: 04/05/2019)
2019-04-259Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 04/25/2019)
2019-05-02MINUTE ORDER: Granting 9 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint May 30, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 5/2/19. (DJS) (Entered: 05/02/2019)
2019-05-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer due by 5/30/2019. (tb) (Entered: 05/03/2019)
2019-05-3010ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 05/30/2019)
2019-06-05MINUTE ORDER: 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 no later than 7/8/19. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 6/5/19. (DJS) (Entered: 06/05/2019)
2019-06-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/8/2019. (tb) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
2019-07-0811Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 07/08/2019)
2019-07-08MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 11 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report and proposed order by August 8, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/8/19. (DJS) (Entered: 07/08/2019)
2019-07-09Set/Reset Deadlines: The parties shall file another joint report and proposed order by 8/8/2019. (jth) (Entered: 07/09/2019)
2019-08-0812Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 08/08/2019)
2019-08-08MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit their next Joint Status Report and, if necessary, a proposed schedule for further proceedings by October 15, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 8/8/2019. (lctsc3) (Entered: 08/08/2019)
2019-08-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/15/2019. (tb) (Entered: 08/09/2019)
2019-10-1613STIPULATION of Dismissal by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
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