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Case TitleLANGER v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictEastern District of Pennsylvania
CityPhiladelphia
Case Number2:2015cv03610
Date Filed2015-06-26
Date Closed2015-06-29
JudgeHONORABLE JUAN R. SANCHEZ
PlaintiffHOWARD LANGER
Case DescriptionHoward Langer, an attorney in Philadelphia representing clients harmed by financial institutions that allow fraudulent mass-marketing entities access to the banking system, submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for a letter from a Federal Reserve official to a bank officer at First Bank of Delaware that was referred to in its complaint against First Bank of Delaware for mass-marketing fraud. DOJ denied the request claiming the letter was protected by Exemption 4 (confidential business information). Langer appealed, arguing any confidentiality was waived when the letter was quoted in a public court filing. The agency sent the request back for processing. DOJ then told Langer that it was referring the letter to the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta for a release determination. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta said it was not an agency subject to FOIA and referred the letter back to the Federal Reserve in Washington, which refused to provide the letter to Langer. Langer then filed suit against the Justice Department.
Complaint issues: Agency, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
Complaint attachment 11
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text
2015-06-261COMPLAINT against DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 123367.), filed by HOWARD LANGER. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Designation Form, # 3 Case Management Track Form)(ks, ) (Additional attachment(s) added on 6/29/2015: # 4 Exhibit, # 5 Exhibit, # 6 Exhibit, # 7 Exhibit, # 8 Exhibit, # 9 Exhibit, # 10 Exhibit, # 11 Exhibit) (ks, ). (Entered: 06/29/2015)
2015-06-26Summons Issued as to DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. Forwarded To: Counsel on 6/26/15 (ks, ) (Entered: 06/29/2015)
2015-06-292NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by HOWARD LANGER (LECKMAN, PETER) (Entered: 06/29/2015)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
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