Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleHUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER v. IMMIGRATION & CUSTOM'S ENFORCEMENT
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv00673
Date Filed2019-03-11
Date Closed2020-04-28
JudgeJudge Trevor N. McFadden
PlaintiffHUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER
Case DescriptionThe Human Rights Defense Center, previously known as Prison Legal News, submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for records concerning six specific contracts awarded to MVM, a private security contractor. HRDC also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and subsequently told HRDC that it could not find any records. HRDC filed an administrative appeal. In response to the appeal, the agency remanded the request for a further search. However, after hearing nothing further from the agency, HRDC filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2019-03-111COMPLAINT against IMMIGRATION & CUSTOM'S ENFORCEMENT ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5992747) filed by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons)(Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-11Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (zef, ) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-112SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-113STANDING 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 3/11/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-114REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE filed by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Attachments: # 1 Summons)(Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-125SUMMONS (2) Issued Electronically as to U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (tth) (Entered: 03/12/2019)
2019-04-026RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/13/2019. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/12/2019. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 04/02/2019)
2019-04-027RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 03/13/2019. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 04/02/2019)
2019-04-028RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT served on 3/13/2019 (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 04/02/2019)
2019-04-129ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT.(Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 04/12/2019)
2019-04-12MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court are a complaint and an answer in this FOIA case. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report proposing a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule should address, among other things, 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, and a briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if required. The parties shall file the schedule on or before May 15, 2019. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 4/12/2019. (lctnm1) (Entered: 04/12/2019)
2019-04-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/15/2019. (hmc) (Entered: 04/15/2019)
2019-05-1510Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 05/15/2019)
2019-05-16MINUTE ORDER. In light of 10 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file a further Joint Status Report on or before May 29, 2019. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 5/16/2019. (lctnm1) (Entered: 05/16/2019)
2019-05-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/29/2019. (hmc) (Entered: 05/16/2019)
2019-05-2911Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Haynes, Fred) (Entered: 05/29/2019)
2019-05-31MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of 11 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby ordered to file a further Joint Status Report on or before July 8, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 5/31/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 05/31/2019)
2019-05-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/8/2019. (hmc) (Entered: 05/31/2019)
2019-06-2412NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Johnny Hillary Walker, III on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Fred Haynes (Walker, Johnny) (Entered: 06/24/2019)
2019-07-0813Joint STATUS REPORT by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 07/08/2019)
2019-07-08MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of 13 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby ordered to file a further Joint Status Report on or before July 15, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 7/8/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 07/08/2019)
2019-07-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/15/2019. (tg) (Entered: 07/09/2019)
2019-07-1214Joint STATUS REPORT by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 07/12/2019)
2019-07-15MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of 14 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby ORDERED to file a further Joint Status Report on or before September 13, 2019. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 7/15/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 07/15/2019)
2019-07-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/13/2019. (hmc) (Entered: 07/16/2019)
2019-09-1115NOTICE of Appearance by Sabarish P. Neelakanta on behalf of HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER (Neelakanta, Sabarish) (Main Document 15 replaced to correct case number on 9/13/2019) (znmw). (Entered: 09/11/2019)
2019-09-1116Joint STATUS REPORT by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Neelakanta, Sabarish) (Entered: 09/11/2019)
2019-09-11MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of 16 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby ORDERED to file a Joint Status Report on or before January 10, 2020. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 9/11/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 09/11/2019)
2019-09-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/10/2020. (tg) (Entered: 09/11/2019)
2019-09-1717NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. Attorney Deborah Maxine Golden terminated. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 09/17/2019)
2019-09-2618NOTICE of Appearance by Deborah Maxine Golden on behalf of HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 09/26/2019)
2019-12-1819NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Lucas Marshall on behalf of HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER (Marshall, Daniel) (Entered: 12/18/2019)
2020-01-1020Joint STATUS REPORT by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 01/10/2020)
2020-01-13MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 20 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby ORDERED to file a further Joint Status Report on or before February 10, 2020, addressing the status of settlement negotiations. If the parties reach a settlement before February 10, 2020, they shall promptly inform the Court. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 1/13/2020. (lctnm1) (Entered: 01/13/2020)
2020-01-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/10/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 01/13/2020)
2020-02-1021Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Walker, Johnny) (Entered: 02/10/2020)
2020-02-10MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 21 Joint Status Report, the parties are ORDERED to file a Joint Status Report on or before March 11, 2020, advising the Court of a proposed schedule for further proceedings in this matter. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 2/10/2020. (lctnm1) (Entered: 02/10/2020)
2020-02-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/11/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 02/11/2020)
2020-03-1122Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT. (Walker, Johnny) (Entered: 03/11/2020)
2020-03-12MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 22 Joint Status Report, the parties are ORDERED to file a Joint Status Report on or before April 10, 2020, advising the Court of a proposed schedule for further proceedings in this matter. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 3/12/2020. (lctnm1) (Entered: 03/12/2020)
2020-03-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/10/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 03/12/2020)
2020-04-1023Joint STATUS REPORT by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-10MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 23 Joint Status Report, the parties are ORDERED to file, on or before April 17, 2020, a joint stipulation of dismissal or an additional joint status report advising the Court of the status of this matter, including a recommendation for further proceedings. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 4/10/2020. (lctnm1) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint stipulation of dismissal or additional joint status report due by 4/17/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 04/13/2020)
2020-04-1724Joint STATUS REPORT by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER. (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 04/17/2020)
2020-04-20MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 24 Joint Status Report, the parties are ORDERED to file, on or before May 1, 2020, a joint stipulation of dismissal or an additional joint status report advising the Court of the status of this matter, including a recommendation for further proceedings. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 4/20/2020. (lctnm1) (Entered: 04/20/2020)
2020-04-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint stipulation of dismissal or joint status report due by 5/1/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 04/20/2020)
2020-04-2825NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER (Golden, Deborah) (Entered: 04/28/2020)
2020-04-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 25 Stipulation of Dismissal, this matter is DISMISSED with prejudice according to the terms of the stipulation. The Clerk of the Court is directed to close the case. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 4/28/2020. (lctnm1) (Entered: 04/28/2020)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar