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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2016cv01593
Date Filed2016-08-05
Date Closed2016-12-06
JudgeJudge Richard J. Leon
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning Secretarial Transition Background Materials since 1997. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial 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
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

2016-08-051COMPLAINT against DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4629403) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons Department of State, # 3 Summons U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, # 4 Summons U.S. Attorney General)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 08/05/2016)
2016-08-052LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 08/05/2016)
2016-08-05Case Assigned to Judge Richard J. Leon. (jd) (Entered: 08/05/2016)
2016-08-053SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Consent Forms)(jd) (Entered: 08/05/2016)
2016-08-184RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/12/2016. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/11/2016.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 8/12/16., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 8/12/2016 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of C. Rotaru)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 08/18/2016)
2016-08-185NOTICE of Appearance by Damon William Taaffe on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 08/18/2016)
2016-09-126ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit)(Lee, Jason) (Entered: 09/12/2016)
2016-09-137STANDING ORDER. Signed by Judge Richard J. Leon on 09/13/16. (lcrjl1) (Entered: 09/13/2016)
2016-09-138NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Attorney Damon William Taaffe terminated. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 09/13/2016)
2016-10-269MEET AND CONFER STATEMENT. (Lee, Jason) (Entered: 10/26/2016)
2016-10-29MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' Joint Meet and Confer Statement, it is hereby ORDERED that defendant the Department of State produce all non-exempt documents responsive to the first part of plaintiff Judicial Watch's FOIA request by 11/02/16. The parties are further ORDERED to file a joint status report on or before 11/16/16 to apprise the Court of the status of the case and to update the Court as to the necessity of dispositive motions. Signed by Judge Richard J. Leon on 10/29/16. (lcrjl1) (Entered: 10/29/2016)
2016-10-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/16/2016. (tb) (Entered: 10/31/2016)
2016-11-1610Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Lee, Jason) (Entered: 11/16/2016)
2016-11-28MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the Joint Status Report filed by the parties on 11/16/16, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file either a joint status report updating the Court on the status of the case or a document dismissing this action on or before 12/16/16. Signed by Judge Richard J. Leon on 11/28/16. (lcrjl1) (Entered: 11/28/2016)
2016-11-28Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report updating the Court on the status of the case or a document dismissing this action due by 12/16/2016. (tb) (Entered: 11/28/2016)
2016-11-2911NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 11/29/2016)
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