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Case TitleFreedom Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of State et al
DistrictMiddle District of Florida
CityOcala
Case Number5:2013cv00419
Date Filed2013-09-04
Date Closed2014-10-30
JudgeChief Judge Anne C. Conway
PlaintiffFreedom Watch, Inc.
Case DescriptionFreedom Watch submitted FOIA requests to the Department of State and the Department of Treasury for records concerning decisions to give countries waivers to trade with Iran. Freedom Watch requested expedited processing and a fee waiver. After hearing nothing further from either agency, Freedom 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 State
DefendantU.S. Department of the Treasury
DefendantU.S. Department of the Treasury
TERMINATED: 07/02/2014
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2013-09-041COMPLAINT against U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Treasury (Filing fee $ 400.00, receipt number OCA-4021) filed by Freedom Watch, Inc.(Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(DFD) (Entered: 09/05/2013)
2013-09-052SUMMONS issued as to U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (DFD) (Entered: 09/05/2013)
2013-09-063RELATED CASE ORDER, NOTICE OF DESIGNATION under Local Rule 3.05-Track 1, INTERESTED PERSONS ORDER and ORDER Requiring Electronic Filing. Notice of pendency of other actions due by 9/20/2013. Certificate of interested persons and corporate disclosure statement due by 9/20/2013. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 9/6/2013. (SR) (Entered: 09/06/2013)
2013-09-064NOTICE of pendency of related cases re 3 Related case/interested persons/ECF-1 per Local Rule 1.04(d) by Freedom Watch, Inc.. Related case(s): no (Klayman, Larry) (Entered: 09/06/2013)
2013-09-065CERTIFICATE of interested persons and corporate disclosure statement re 3 Related case/interested persons/ECF-1 by Freedom Watch, Inc.. (Klayman, Larry) (Entered: 09/06/2013)
2013-10-226MOTION to extend time to Respond to Plaintiff's Complaint by U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 10/22/2013)
2013-10-227RELATED CASE ORDER,INTERESTED PERSONS ORDER and ORDER Requiring Electronic Filing directed to DEFENDANTS. Notice of pendency of other actions due by 11/5/2013. Certificate of interested persons and corporate disclosure statement due by 11/5/2013. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 10/22/2013. (SR) (Entered: 10/22/2013)
2013-10-238ORDER granting in part 6 Motion to extend time. A responsive pleading shall be filed on or before November 15, 2013. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 10/23/2013. (Conway, Anne) (Entered: 10/23/2013)
2013-10-249NOTICE of pendency of related cases re 7 Related case/interested persons/ECF per Local Rule 1.04(d) by U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Related case(s): no (Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 10/24/2013)
2013-10-2410CERTIFICATE of interested persons and corporate disclosure statement re 7 Related case/interested persons/ECF by U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 10/24/2013)
2013-10-24Set/reset deadlines/hearings for U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Answer due by 11/15/2013. (LAB) (Entered: 10/24/2013)
2013-11-1511ANSWER and affirmative defenses to 1 Complaint by U.S. Department of State.(Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 11/15/2013)
2013-11-1512MOTION to Dismiss by U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1)(Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 11/15/2013)
2013-11-2213AMENDED ANSWER to 1 Complaint by U.S. Department of State. (Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 11/22/2013)
2013-11-2714MOTION to Dismiss by U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 11/27/2013)
2013-12-1215RESPONSE in Opposition re 14 MOTION to Dismiss filed by Freedom Watch, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1 -- Ltr From Florida Dept. of State, # 2 Exhibit 2 -- Freedom Watch Contact Us Website)(Klayman, Larry) (Entered: 12/12/2013)
2014-04-1416ORDER denying as moot 12 United States Department of the Treasury's Motion to Dismiss; denying 14 United States Department of the Treasury and United States Department of State's Motion to Dismiss. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 4/14/2014. (SR) (Entered: 04/14/2014)
2014-04-2517MOTION for clarification of the Court's Order or, in the alternative, Motion for reconsideration by U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Mehta, Jason) Modified on 4/29/2014 (LMF). (Entered: 04/25/2014)
2014-05-1418ORDER denying 17 Motion for clarification. Defendant United States Department of the Treasury SHALL FILE its motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction on or before May 28, 2014. Within fourteen (14) days of Defendant United States Department of the Treasury's filing, Plaintiff SHALL FILE a response. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 5/14/2014. (SR) (Entered: 05/14/2014)
2014-05-2819MOTION to Dismiss Plaintiff's Complaint by U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1 - Declaration of Marshall H. Fields, Jr.)(Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 05/28/2014)
2014-06-1220MOTION for relief from order denying Defendants' Motion to Dismiss by U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Mehta, Jason) Modified on 7/1/2014 (LMF). (Entered: 06/12/2014)
2014-06-3021RESPONSE to Motion re 20 MOTION for relief from order denying Defendants' Motion to Dismiss filed by Freedom Watch, Inc. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1 -- Letter from Florida Department of Corporations, # 2 Exhibit 2 -- Screen Capture of Freedom Watch website)(Klayman, Larry) Modified on 7/1/2014 (LMF). (Entered: 06/30/2014)
2014-07-0222ORDER granting 19 United States Department of the Treasury's Renewed Motion to Dismiss. Plaintiff Freedom Watch, Inc.'s claims are DISMISSED without prejudice for lack of subject matter jurisdiction as to U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Clerk is DIRECTED to terminate U.S. Department of the Treasury as a party to this action Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 7/2/2014. (SR) (Entered: 07/02/2014)
2014-07-0723ORDER denying 20 Motion for Relief from Order Denying Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 7/6/2014. (SR) (Entered: 07/07/2014)
2014-07-1024MOTION for summary judgment by U.S. Department of State. (Attachments: # 1 Attachment 1)(Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 07/10/2014)
2014-07-1025MILBURN ORDER re 24 Motion for summary judgment. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 7/10/2014. (SR) (Entered: 07/10/2014)
2014-07-11Set/reset deadlines as to 24 MOTION for summary judgment . Responses due by 8/15/2014 (LAB) (Entered: 07/11/2014)
2014-08-1526Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply as to 24 MOTION for summary judgment by Freedom Watch, Inc.. (Klayman, Larry) Motions referred to Magistrate Judge Philip R. Lammens. (Entered: 08/15/2014)
2014-08-1927ORDER granting 26 Motion for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply. Plaintiff shall file a response to Defendant's motion for summary judgment on or before August 25, 2014. Signed by Magistrate Judge Philip R. Lammens on 8/19/2014. (SEJ) (Entered: 08/19/2014)
2014-08-2528RESPONSE in Opposition re 24 MOTION for summary judgment filed by Freedom Watch, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Main Document Memorandum in Support of Opposition to Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment, # 2 Exhibit 1, # 3 Exhibit 2, # 4 Exhibit 3, # 5 Exhibit 4, # 6 Exhibit 5, # 7 Exhibit 6 -- Rule 56(d) Affidavit of Larry Klayman)(Klayman, Larry) (Entered: 08/25/2014)
2014-08-2829MOTION for leave to file Reply Memorandum in Support of Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment by U.S. Department of State. (Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 08/28/2014)
2014-08-2830RESPONSE in Opposition re 29 MOTION for leave to file Reply Memorandum in Support of Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Freedom Watch, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1)(Klayman, Larry) (Entered: 08/28/2014)
2014-09-0231ORDER granting 29 Motion for Leave to File Reply within 10 days. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 9/2/2014. (Conway, Anne) (Entered: 09/02/2014)
2014-09-1232REPLY to Response to Motion re 24 MOTION for summary judgment filed by U.S. Department of State. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 09/12/2014)
2014-10-0733Supplemental MOTION for miscellaneous relief, specifically Seeking Relief from Orders Denying Defendant's Motion to Dismiss by U.S. Department of State. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Mehta, Jason) (Entered: 10/07/2014)
2014-10-2034MEMORANDUM in opposition re 33 Motion for Miscellaneous Relief filed by Freedom Watch, Inc.. (Klayman, Larry) (Entered: 10/20/2014)
2014-10-2735ORDER granting 33 Renewed Rule 60 Motion Seeking Relief from Orders Denying Defendant's Motion to Dismiss. The Court's Order Denying the State Department's Motion to Dismiss, filed on April 14, 2014 (Doc. No. 16 ), is SET ASIDE to the extent that the Court found the Middle District of Florida to be the proper venue for this case. The Court now finds that venue is improper in the Middle District of Florida. In the interest of justice, and pursuant to 28. U.S.C. § 1406(a), this case is hereby TRANSFERRED to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The Clerk is directed to CLOSE this case. Signed by Chief Judge Anne C. Conway on 10/27/2014. (SR) (Entered: 10/27/2014)
2014-10-3036TRANSFER to the District of of Columbia. (LMF) (Entered: 10/30/2014)
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