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Case TitleCALLIMACHI v. NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv02199
Date Filed2020-08-11
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Jia M. Cobb
PlaintiffRUKMINI CALLIMACHI
Case DescriptionJournalist Rukmini Callimachi submitted three FOIA requests to the National Archives and Records Administration. Her first FOIA request was for records concerning the 1989 Romanian revolution. Her second FOIA request was for records concerning the 1989 Malta summit between President George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev. NARA told Callimachi that it had located thousands of potentially responsive records, many of which were classified. NARA suggested that she proceed with a mandatory declassification review. She declined to pursue that alternative. NARA then told her that since the responsive records were in the George Bush presidential library, they could not be processed remotely. Callimachi's third FOIA was for records concerning the 1989 execution of Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu. NARA told her that there were 60 publicly available responsive pages and an additional 18 pages that needed to be processed. After hearing nothing further from the NARA, Callimachi filed suit.
Complaint issues: Adequacy - Search, Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantNATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
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

2020-08-111COMPLAINT against NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-7449941) filed by RUKMINI CALLIMACHI. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A-E, # 2 Exhibit F-J, # 3 Exhibit K-O, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet, # 5 Summons)(Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 08/11/2020)
2020-08-112NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of RUKMINI CALLIMACHI (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 08/11/2020)
2020-08-12Case Assigned to Judge James E. Boasberg. (zsb) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-123SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-09-284NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 09/28/2020)
2020-09-285ANSWER to Complaint by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION.(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 09/28/2020)
2020-09-28MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the parties shall confer and submit a joint proposed briefing schedule by October 13, 2020. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 09/28/2020. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 09/28/2020)
2020-09-28Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 10/13/2020. (znbn) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-09-296RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION served on 8/24/2020 (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-09-297RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 8/27/2020. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-09-298RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/28/2020. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/27/2020. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-10-139Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 10/13/2020)
2020-10-13MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 9 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by December 14, 2020, and every sixty days thereafter pending further order of the Court. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 10/13/2020. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 10/13/2020)
2020-10-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 12/14/2020. (znbn) (Entered: 10/14/2020)
2020-12-1410Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 12/14/2020)
2020-12-15MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 10 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by February 12, 2021. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 12/15/2020. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 12/15/2020)
2020-12-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/12/2021. (nbn) (Entered: 12/15/2020)
2021-02-1211Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 02/12/2021)
2021-02-12MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 11 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by April 13, 2021. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 2/12/2021. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 02/12/2021)
2021-02-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 4/13/2021. (nbn) (Entered: 02/16/2021)
2021-04-0612NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Stephen DeGenaro on behalf of NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION Substituting for attorney Daniel Schaefer (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 04/06/2021)
2021-04-1313NOTICE of Change of Telephone Number by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 04/13/2021)
2021-04-1314Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 04/13/2021)
2021-04-13MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 14 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by June 14, 2021. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 4/13/2021. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 04/13/2021)
2021-04-13NOTICE OF ERROR re 13 Notice (Other); emailed to Stephen.DeGenaro@usdoj.gov, cc'd 5 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Counsel, your telephone number has to be updated in PACER. Thank you. (ztth, ) (Entered: 04/13/2021)
2021-04-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/14/2021. (nbn) (Entered: 04/14/2021)
2021-06-1415Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 06/14/2021)
2021-06-14MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 15 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by August 13, 2021. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 6/14/2021. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 06/14/2021)
2021-06-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/13/2021 (lsj) (Entered: 06/14/2021)
2021-08-1316Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/13/2021)
2021-08-13MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 16 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by October 12, 2021. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 8/13/2021. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 08/13/2021)
2021-08-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/12/2021 (lsj) (Entered: 08/13/2021)
2021-10-01ENTERED IN ERROR.....Case directly reassigned to Judge Florence Y. Pan. Judge James E. Boasberg is no longer assigned to the case. (rj) Modified on 10/1/2021 (rj). (Entered: 10/01/2021)
2021-10-1217Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 10/12/2021)
2021-10-1218Joint STATUS REPORT (Amended) by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 10/12/2021)
2021-10-12MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 18 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by December 10, 2021. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 10/12/2021. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 10/12/2021)
2021-10-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/10/2021. (nbn) (Entered: 10/13/2021)
2021-11-15Case directly reassigned to Judge Jia M. Cobb. Judge James E. Boasberg is no longer assigned to the case. (rj) (Entered: 11/15/2021)
2021-12-1019Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 12/10/2021)
2021-12-10MINUTE ORDER re 19 Status Report filed by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION: The Court has reviewed the Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file another joint status report by February 8, 2022. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on December 10, 2021. (lcjmc1) (Entered: 12/10/2021)
2022-02-0820Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 02/08/2022)
2022-02-09MINUTE ORDER re 20 Status Report filed by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION: The Court has reviewed the Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file another joint status report by April 8, 2022. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on February 9, 2022. (lcjmc3) (Entered: 02/09/2022)
2022-04-0721NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua Loevy on behalf of RUKMINI CALLIMACHI (Loevy, Joshua) (Entered: 04/07/2022)
2022-04-0822Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 04/08/2022)
2022-04-08MINUTE ORDER re 22 Status Report filed by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION: The Court has reviewed the Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file another joint status report by June 8, 2022. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on April 8, 2022. (lcjmc3) (Entered: 04/08/2022)
2022-06-0823Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 06/08/2022)
2022-06-09MINUTE ORDER re 23 Joint STATUS REPORT by National Archives and Records Administration: The Court has reviewed the Parties' Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file another joint status report by August 9, 2022. It is further ORDERED that the Parties shall file joint status reports every 90 days thereafter until further order of the Court. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on June 9, 2022. (lcjmc3) (Entered: 06/09/2022)
2022-08-0924Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/09/2022)
2022-08-10MINUTE ORDER re 24 Joint STATUS REPORT by National Archives and Records Administration: As mentioned in the previous minute order, the Court has reviewed the Parties' Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file the next joint status report by October 11, 2022, and automatically every 90 days thereafter until further order of the Court. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on August 10, 2022. (lcjmc3) (Entered: 08/10/2022)
2022-10-1125NOTICE of Appearance by Derek S. Hammond on behalf of All Defendants (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 10/11/2022)
2022-10-1126Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 10/11/2022)
2023-01-0927Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 01/09/2023)
2023-02-2828NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of RUKMINI CALLIMACHI (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 02/28/2023)
2023-04-1029Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 04/10/2023)
2023-07-1030NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. Attorney Derek S. Hammond terminated. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 07/10/2023)
2023-07-1031Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 07/10/2023)
2023-10-0632Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 10/06/2023)
2024-01-0833Joint STATUS REPORT by NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 01/08/2024)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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