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Case TitleDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION v. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv02822
Date Filed2019-09-20
Date Closed2020-05-28
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionDemocracy Forward Foundation submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for 148 pages the agency had withheld from a prior request based on its claim that they were non-responsive. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, DFF filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantCITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES
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

2019-09-201COMPLAINT against CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6389059) filed by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Exhibit, # 6 Exhibit, # 7 Exhibit)(George, Aman) (Entered: 09/20/2019)
2019-09-202LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION (George, Aman) (Entered: 09/20/2019)
2019-09-203NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. Case related to Case No. 1:18-cv-00479. (George, Aman) (Entered: 09/20/2019)
2019-09-23Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zeg) (Entered: 09/23/2019)
2019-09-244SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zeg) (Entered: 09/24/2019)
2019-09-265RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES served on 9/25/2019, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 9/26/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 10/26/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 9/26/19. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(George, Aman) (Entered: 09/26/2019)
2019-10-156NOTICE of Appearance by Damon William Taaffe on behalf of CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 10/15/2019)
2019-10-287ANSWER to Complaint by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES.(Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 10/28/2019)
2019-10-29MINUTE 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 12/13/19. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 10/29/19. (DJS) (Entered: 10/29/2019)
2019-10-29Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/13/2019. (tb) (Entered: 10/29/2019)
2019-12-128Joint STATUS REPORT by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 12/12/2019)
2019-12-13MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 8 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report and proposed order by February 12, 2020. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 12/13/19. (DJS) (Entered: 12/13/2019)
2019-12-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/12/2020. (tb) (Entered: 12/17/2019)
2020-02-129NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Robert Aaron Caplen on behalf of CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES Substituting for attorney Damon W. Taaffe (Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 02/12/2020)
2020-02-1210Joint STATUS REPORT by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES. (Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 02/12/2020)
2020-02-20MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 10 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report by 3/11/2020 and every 30 days thereafter. To the extent the report contains a proposed briefing schedule, the report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 2/20/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 02/20/2020)
2020-02-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/11/2020. (tb) (Entered: 02/21/2020)
2020-03-1111Joint STATUS REPORT by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES. (Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 03/11/2020)
2020-04-1012Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-13MINUTE ORDER: Granting 12 Joint Motion for Extension of Deadlines. The parties shall file a joint status report by 4/17/2020 and every 30 days thereafter. To the extent the report contains a proposed briefing schedule, the report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/13/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 04/13/2020)
2020-04-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/17/2020. (tb) (Entered: 04/13/2020)
2020-04-1713Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/17/2020)
2020-04-17MINUTE ORDER: Granting Unopposed 13 Motion for Extension of Deadlines. Joint Status Report due April 22, 2020. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/17/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 04/17/2020)
2020-04-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/22/2020. (tb) (Entered: 04/20/2020)
2020-04-2214Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Caplen, Robert) Modified event on 4/23/2020 (ztd). (Entered: 04/22/2020)
2020-04-24MINUTE ORDER: Granting 14 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Deadlines. Joint status report and proposed order due April 29, 2020. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/24/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 04/24/2020)
2020-04-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/29/2020. (tb) (Entered: 04/24/2020)
2020-04-2715Joint STATUS REPORT by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES. (Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/27/2020)
2020-04-2716NOTICE of Proposed Order by CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES re 15 Status Report (Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/27/2020)
2020-04-28MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 14 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint status report by May 21, 2020 and every 30 days thereafter. To the extent the report contains a proposed briefing schedule the report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/29/30. (DJS) (Entered: 04/28/2020)
2020-04-29Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/21/2020. (tb) (Entered: 04/29/2020)
2020-05-2117STIPULATION of Dismissal by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (George, Aman) (Entered: 05/21/2020)
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