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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv02583
Date Filed2019-08-27
Date Closed2020-10-02
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning materials provided for hiring purposes by lawyers and/or investigators hired by the Office of Special Counsel. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2019-08-271COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6344655) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney, # 3 Summons U.S. Attorney General, # 4 Summons U.S. Department of Justice)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 08/27/2019)
2019-08-272LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 08/27/2019)
2019-08-29Case assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zmc) (Entered: 08/29/2019)
2019-08-293SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Entered: 08/29/2019)
2019-09-094RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 9/9/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 10/9/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 9/9/2019., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 9/9/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 09/09/2019)
2019-09-305NOTICE of Appearance by Chris Fedeli on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Fedeli, Chris) (Entered: 09/30/2019)
2019-10-096NOTICE of Appearance by Christopher Charles Hair on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 10/09/2019)
2019-10-097ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 10/09/2019)
2019-10-18MINUTE 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 12/2/19. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 10/18/19. (DJS) (Entered: 10/18/2019)
2019-10-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/2/2019. (tb) (Entered: 10/21/2019)
2019-12-028Joint STATUS REPORT and Proposed Order by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Fedeli, Chris) (Entered: 12/02/2019)
2019-12-04MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 8 , it is hereby ordered Defendant will make its first release of responsive records no later than January 10, 2020, and the parties will file a further Joint Status Report no later than February 5, 2020. The report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 12/4/19. (DJS) (Entered: 12/04/2019)
2019-12-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/5/2020. (tb) (Entered: 12/09/2019)
2020-02-059Joint STATUS REPORT and Proposed Order by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Fedeli, Chris) (Entered: 02/05/2020)
2020-02-07MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 9 , it is hereby ordered that Defendant will make its second and third releases of responsive records no later than February 13, 2020 and March 11, 2020, and the parties will file a further Joint Status Report no later than April 2, 2020, and every 60 days thereafter. To the extent the report contains a proposed briefing schedule, the status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 2/7/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 02/07/2020)
2020-02-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/2/2020. (tb) (Entered: 02/10/2020)
2020-04-0210Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Fedeli, Chris) (Entered: 04/02/2020)
2020-06-0211Joint STATUS REPORT and Proposed Order by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Fedeli, Chris) (Entered: 06/02/2020)
2020-06-0412NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. Attorney Chris Fedeli terminated. (Fedeli, Chris) (Entered: 06/04/2020)
2020-08-0313Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 08/03/2020)
2020-08-0514NOTICE of Appearance by Lauren M. Burke on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Burke, Lauren) (Main Document 14 replaced on 8/6/2020) (ztd). (Entered: 08/05/2020)
2020-10-0115STIPULATION of Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Burke, Lauren) (Entered: 10/01/2020)
2020-10-01MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' stipulation of dismissal 15 , this action is hereby dismissed pursuant with prejudice, each party to bear its own cost and fees. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 10/1/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 10/01/2020)
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