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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv00575
Date Filed2019-03-01
Date Closed2021-05-06
JudgeJudge Carl J. Nichols
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Commerce for records concerning Secretary Wilbur Ross' conflict of interests and ethics agreements. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests and for one request asked for clarification, which was provided by AO. After hearing nothing further from the agency pertaining to any of its requests, AO filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
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

2019-03-011COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5975820) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons)(McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 03/01/2019)
2019-03-012LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 03/01/2019)
2019-03-01Case Assigned to Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. (zef, ) (Entered: 03/01/2019)
2019-03-013SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Entered: 03/01/2019)
2019-03-114RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/4/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/3/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 3/8/2019., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE served on 3/7/2019 (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-04-035NOTICE of Appearance by Jason Todd Cohen on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 04/03/2019)
2019-04-036ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.(Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 04/03/2019)
2019-04-09MINUTE ORDER requiring the parties to MEET AND CONFER and file a joint status report proposing a schedule for further proceedings. The status report should address the status of the plaintiff's FOIA request, including the anticipated number of documents responsive to the request and the anticipated date(s) for release of the requested documents. The parties shall file the joint status report on or before May 3, 2019. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on April 9, 2019. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 04/09/2019)
2019-05-037Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 05/03/2019)
2019-05-03MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 7 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall submit another joint status report on or before June 4, 2019. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on May 3, 2019. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 05/03/2019)
2019-05-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/4/2019. (zcal) (Entered: 05/03/2019)
2019-06-048Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 06/04/2019)
2019-06-04MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall submit another joint status report on or before July 9, 2019. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on June 4, 2019. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 06/04/2019)
2019-06-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/9/2019. (zcal) (Entered: 06/05/2019)
2019-06-24Case directly reassigned to Judge Carl J. Nichols. Judge Dabney L. Friedrich is no longer assigned to the case. (rj) (Entered: 06/24/2019)
2019-07-099Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 07/09/2019)
2019-08-13MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 9 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall submit an additional Joint Status Report by August 22, 2019. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on August 13, 2019. (lccjn1) (Entered: 08/13/2019)
2019-08-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Additional Joint Status Report due by 8/22/2019. (mac) (Entered: 08/14/2019)
2019-08-2110Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 08/21/2019)
2019-08-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of Parties' 10 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties submit an additional Joint Status Report by October 3, 2019. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on August 22, 2019. (lccjn2) (Entered: 08/22/2019)
2019-08-22Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 10/3/2019. (zcdw) (Entered: 08/25/2019)
2019-10-0311Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 10/03/2019)
2019-10-04MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties submit a Joint Status Report by November 20, 2019. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on October 4, 2019. (lccjn2) (Entered: 10/04/2019)
2019-10-04Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 11/20/2019. (zcdw) (Entered: 10/04/2019)
2019-11-2012Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 11/20/2019)
2019-11-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 12 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall submit a Joint Status Report by January 21, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on November 22, 2019. (lccjn2) (Entered: 11/22/2019)
2019-11-2413NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Sean Michael Tepe on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Substituting for attorney Jason Cohen (Tepe, Sean) (Entered: 11/24/2019)
2019-11-25Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/21/2020 (mac) (Entered: 11/25/2019)
2020-01-2114Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Tepe, Sean) (Entered: 01/21/2020)
2020-01-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 14 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall submit a Joint Status Report by March 23, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on January 22, 2020. (lccjn2) (Entered: 01/22/2020)
2020-01-22Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 3/23/2020. (zcdw) (Entered: 01/23/2020)
2020-03-2315Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Tepe, Sean) (Entered: 03/23/2020)
2020-03-25MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 15 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by June 9, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on March 25, 2020. (lccjn2) (Entered: 03/25/2020)
2020-03-25Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 6/9/2020. (zcdw) (Entered: 03/25/2020)
2020-06-0916Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 06/09/2020)
2020-06-09MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 16 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by August 6, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on June 9, 2020. (lccjn2) (Entered: 06/09/2020)
2020-06-09Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 8/6/2020. (zcdw) (Entered: 06/10/2020)
2020-08-0617Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Tepe, Sean) (Entered: 08/06/2020)
2020-08-06MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 17 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by October 5, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on August 6, 2020. (lccjn2) (Entered: 08/06/2020)
2020-08-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/5/2020. (zcal) (Entered: 08/07/2020)
2020-10-0518Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Tepe, Sean) (Entered: 10/05/2020)
2020-10-06MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 18 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by December 4, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on October 6, 2020. (lccjn2) (Entered: 10/06/2020)
2020-10-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/4/2020. (zcal) (Entered: 10/06/2020)
2020-12-0419Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Tepe, Sean) (Entered: 12/04/2020)
2020-12-08MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 19 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by January 13, 2021. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on December 8, 2020. (lccjn2) (Entered: 12/08/2020)
2020-12-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/13/2021. (zcal) (Entered: 12/08/2020)
2021-01-1220Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 01/12/2021)
2021-01-14MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 20 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by March 15, 2021. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on January 14, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 01/14/2021)
2021-01-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/15/2021. (zcal) (Entered: 01/15/2021)
2021-03-1521Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 03/15/2021)
2021-03-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 21 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by May 6, 2021. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on March 22, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 03/22/2021)
2021-03-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/6/2021. (zcal) (Entered: 03/23/2021)
2021-04-2922NOTICE of Appearance by Hart W. Wood on behalf of AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 04/29/2021)
2021-04-2923NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. Attorney Daniel Alexander McGrath terminated. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 04/29/2021)
2021-05-0624STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 05/06/2021)
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