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Case TitleENERGY POLICY ADVOCATES v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv02878
Date Filed2021-11-01
Date Closed2023-11-23
JudgeJudge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
PlaintiffENERGY POLICY ADVOCATES
Case DescriptionEnergy Policy Advocates submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the ethics clearances and recusal process for Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry. EPA also requested expedited processing and a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but told EPA that it fell within the definition of unusual circumstances and take further to process. EPA then submitted a second FOIA request for records concerning the meaning of unusual circumstances. The agency acknowledged receipt of that request as well but after hearing nothing further from the agency EPA filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2021-11-011COMPLAINT against STATE DEPARTMENT ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8835126) filed by ENERGY POLICY ADVOCATES. (Attachments: # 1 Summons Proposed to USAO, AG, and State Dept., # 2 Civil Cover Sheet)(Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 11/01/2021)
2021-11-02Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (zsb) (Entered: 11/02/2021)
2021-11-032SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ) (Entered: 11/03/2021)
2021-12-103NOTICE of Appearance by Paul Cirino on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 12/10/2021)
2021-12-104Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 12/10/2021)
2021-12-10MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court is Defendant's 4 Consent Motion to Extend Time to Respond to the Complaint. Defendant's deadline to respond to Plaintiff's complaint is currently December 15, 2021. Defendant represents that it "has only this week assigned an attorney to this case" due to allegedly deficient service, and Defendant requests an extension to January 14, 2022. This is Defendant's first request for an extension, and Plaintiff consents to the requested relief. Accordingly, and upon good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's 4 Consent Motion to Extend Time to Respond to the Complaint is GRANTED . It is further ORDERED that Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to Plaintiff's complaint on or before January 14, 2022 . Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on December 10, 2021. (lcckk1) (Entered: 12/10/2021)
2021-12-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer or otherwise respond to 1 Complaint due by 1/14/2022. (dot) (Entered: 12/10/2021)
2022-01-145ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 01/14/2022)
2022-01-146ORDER. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on January 14, 2022. (lcckk1) (Entered: 01/14/2022)
2022-01-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Meet & Confer Statement due by 2/18/2022. (dot) (Entered: 01/17/2022)
2022-02-187Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 02/18/2022)
2022-04-198Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 04/19/2022)
2022-06-179Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 06/17/2022)
2022-06-18MINUTE ORDER: The Court is in receipt of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report. In consideration thereof, the parties shall file another joint status report on or before August 26, 2022 and, if necessary, every sixty days thereafter, updating the Court on the status of productions in this case. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on June 18, 2022. (lcckk1) (Entered: 06/18/2022)
2022-06-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/26/2022. (dot) (Entered: 06/21/2022)
2022-08-2510NOTICE of Appearance by Patricia K. McBride on behalf of All Defendants (McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 08/25/2022)
2022-08-2613Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (zjm) (Entered: 09/02/2022)
2022-08-2911NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Attorney Paul Cirino terminated. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 08/29/2022)
2022-08-3112MOTION for Leave to File by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 08/31/2022)
2022-09-01MINUTE ORDER: The Court is in receipt of Defendant's 12 Motion for Leave to File Joint Status Report. The parties failed to file their joint status report by the deadline of August 26, 2022, and Defendant now seeks leave to late-file due to a minor logistical error. The 12 Motion indicates that Plaintiff has not indicated its position on the 12 Motion. As Plaintiff has already consented to the joint status report itself, the Court nevertheless GRANTS Defendant's 12 Motion for Leave to File Joint Status Report upon a showing of excusable neglect. The Clerk of Court is directed to docket ECF No. 12-1 nunc pro tunc . The Court's June 18, 2022 minute order requiring joint status reports every sixty days otherwise stands. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on September 1, 2022. (lcckk1) (Entered: 09/01/2022)
2022-09-01NOTICE OF ERROR re 12 Motion for Leave to File; emailed to patricia.mcbride@usdoj.gov, cc'd 7 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Please note the following deficiency and file/refile document as instructed , 2. Invalid attorney signature- signature on document must match PACER login. Please refile. (zjm, ) (Entered: 09/01/2022)
2022-10-2414Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 10/24/2022)
2023-01-1715Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 01/17/2023)
2023-04-0516Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 04/05/2023)
2023-06-1417Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 06/14/2023)
2023-08-1418Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 08/14/2023)
2023-11-2019STIPULATION of Dismissal by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (McBride, Patricia) (Entered: 11/20/2023)
2023-11-2320ORDER dismissing the case with prejudice. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on November 23, 2023. (lcckk1) (Entered: 11/23/2023)
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