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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv03807
Date Filed2019-12-23
Date Closed2020-12-03
JudgeJudge Timothy J. Kelly
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a request to the CIA for records concerning CIA official Eric Ciaramella, who conservative media allege is the whistleblower who filed a complaint about President Trump's phone call to Ukraine. After hear nothing further from the agency, it submitted a second FOIA request for records on Ciaramella, this time asking for expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency pertaining to either request, Judicial Watch filed suit.
Complaint issues: Adequacy - Search, Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantCENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE in 19cv3809
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

2019-12-231COMPLAINT against CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-6671027) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, # 3 Summons U.S. Attorney General, # 4 Summons Central Intelligence Agency)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 12/23/2019)
2019-12-232LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 12/23/2019)
2019-12-26Case assigned to Judge Timothy J. Kelly. (zmc) (Entered: 12/26/2019)
2019-12-263SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Entered: 12/26/2019)
2020-01-064RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/3/2020. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/2/2020.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 01/03/2020., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY served on 1/3/2020 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 01/06/2020)
2020-02-035ANSWER to Complaint by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.(Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 02/03/2020)
2020-02-04MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and file a joint proposed schedule for briefing or disclosure by March 3, 2020. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 2/4/20. (lctjk2) (Entered: 02/04/2020)
2020-02-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule or Disclosure due by 3/3/2020. (zkh) (Entered: 02/04/2020)
2020-02-286Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 02/28/2020)
2020-03-137MOTION to Consolidate Cases 19-cv-3807 and 19-cv-3809 by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Declaration of Elizabeth Tulis with exhibits, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 03/13/2020)
2020-03-168Memorandum in opposition to re 7 MOTION to Consolidate Cases 19-cv-3807 and 19-cv-3809 filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 03/16/2020)
2020-03-239REPLY to opposition to motion re 7 MOTION to Consolidate Cases 19-cv-3807 and 19-cv-3809 filed by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 03/23/2020)
2020-04-02MINUTE ORDER granting Defendants' 7 Motion for Consolidation. Upon consideration of Defendant Central Intelligence Agency's and Defendant U.S. Department of Justice's motion for consolidation of cases 19-cv-3807-TJK and 19-cv-3809-TNM and the "common question[s] of law or fact" between the two cases, Fed. R. Civ. P. 42(a), the Court finds that consolidation serves the interests of judicial economy, will not prejudice either party, and avoids the risk of inconsistent rulings. See Nat'l Sec. Counselors v. CIA , 322 F.R.D. 41, 42 (D.D.C. 2017); Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Dep't of Energy , 207 F.R.D. 8, 8-9 (D.D.C. 2002). Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that (1) Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Central Intelligence Agency , 19-cv-3807, and Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of Justice , 19-cv-3809, are CONSOLIDATED before this Court; (2) all pleadings, motions, or other papers relating to the consolidated cases shall be filed only on the docket for case number 19-cv-3807; (3) the Clerk of the Court is directed to close case number 19-cv-3809 and to transfer Defendant U.S. Department of Justice to case number 19-cv-3807; and (4) the parties shall meet, confer, and file a joint proposed schedule for briefing by April 10, 2020. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 4/2/20. (lctjk2) (Entered: 04/02/2020)
2020-04-1010Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-10MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 10 joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint proposed schedule for summary judgment briefing by May 11, 2020. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 4/10/20. (lctjk2) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-05-1111Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 05/11/2020)
2020-05-11MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 11 joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that that the following schedule will govern further proceedings: (1) Defendants shall file their motion for summary judgment by August 4, 2020; (2) Plaintiff shall file its opposition to Defendants' motion and its cross-motion by September 4, 2020; (3) Defendants shall file their opposition to Plaintiff's cross-motion and their reply in support of their motion by October 5, 2020; and (4) Plaintiff shall file its reply in support of its cross-motion by October 26, 2020. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 5/11/20. (lctjk2) (Entered: 05/11/2020)
2020-05-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant's Summary Judgment motion due by 8/4/2020. Plaintiff's Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 9/4/2020. Defendant's Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 10/5/2020. (zkh) (Entered: 05/11/2020)
2020-07-2912Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Motion for Summary Judgment by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 07/29/2020)
2020-07-31MINUTE ORDER granting Defendants' 12 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to File Motion for Summary Judgment. Upon consideration of Defendants' 12 Motion, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that that the following schedule will govern further proceedings: (1) Defendants shall file their motion for summary judgment by September 3, 2020; (2) Plaintiff shall file its opposition to Defendants' motion and its cross-motion by October 5, 2020; (3) Defendants shall file their opposition to Plaintiff's cross-motion and their reply in support of their motion by November 4, 2020; and (4) Plaintiff shall file its reply in support of its cross-motion by November 25, 2020. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 7/31/20. (lctjk2) (Entered: 07/31/2020)
2020-09-0313MOTION for Summary Judgment by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Statement of Facts, # 3 Declaration of Vanna Blaine, # 4 Declaration of Vanessa R. Brinkmann, # 5 Declaration of Michael G. Seidel, # 6 Text of Proposed Order)(Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/03/2020)
2020-09-1814ERRATA : Defendants' Reformatted Statement of Material Facts by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 13 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Attachments: # 1 Statement of Facts - Reformatted Statement of Material Facts)(Tulis, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/18/2020)
2020-10-0115STIPULATION of Dismissal with Prejudice by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 10/01/2020)
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