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Case TitleCAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2016cv02179
Date Filed2016-11-01
Date Closed2018-11-15
JudgeJudge James E. Boasberg
PlaintiffCAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE
Case DescriptionCause of Action Institute submitted a FOIA request to the Department of the Treasury for records concerning the agency's special FOIA review process for sensitive information. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and took a 10-day extension. However, after the agency had not responded to the original request and a follow-up appeal in more than two years, Cause of Action Institute complained to the Office of Government Information Services. OGIS was able to get Treasury to agree to interim responses. However, after several more inquiries to Treasury without success, Cause of Action Institute filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
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
Complaint attachment 12
Complaint attachment 13
Complaint attachment 14
Complaint attachment 15
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text
2016-11-011COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4728820) filed by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit ex. 1, # 2 Exhibit ex. 2, # 3 Exhibit ex. 3, # 4 Exhibit ex. 4, # 5 Exhibit ex. 5, # 6 Exhibit ex. 6, # 7 Exhibit ex. 7, # 8 Exhibit ex. 8, # 9 Exhibit ex. 9, # 10 Exhibit ex. 10, # 11 Exhibit ex. 11, # 12 Civil Cover Sheet, # 13 Summons Treasury, # 14 Summons AG, # 15 Summons Clerk)(Geske, Michael) (Entered: 11/01/2016)
2016-11-012Corporate Disclosure Statement by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 11/01/2016)
2016-11-01Case Assigned to Judge James E. Boasberg. (sb) (Entered: 11/01/2016)
2016-11-013SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Consent Form)(sb) (Entered: 11/01/2016)
2016-11-034NOTICE of Appearance by Lee A. Steven on behalf of CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE (Steven, Lee) (Entered: 11/03/2016)
2016-11-085RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY served on 11/4/2016 (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 11/08/2016)
2016-11-086RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 11/04/2016. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 11/08/2016)
2016-11-087RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 11/7/2016. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 12/7/2016. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 11/08/2016)
2016-12-028NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Joseph Berns on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 12/02/2016)
2016-12-079ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.(Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 12/07/2016)
2016-12-07MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the parties shall confer and submit a joint proposed briefing schedule by December 21, 2016. Signed by Judge James E. Boasberg on 12/7/16. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 12/07/2016)
2016-12-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 12/21/2016. (nbn) (Entered: 12/07/2016)
2016-12-2110RESPONSE TO ORDER OF THE COURT re Order of December 7, 2016 filed by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 12/21/2016)
2016-12-21MINUTE ORDER: Pursuant to the parties' 10 Joint Proposed Schedule, the Court ORDERS that the parties shall file a joint status report on February 28, 2017. Signed by Judge James E. Boasberg on 12/21/16. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 12/21/2016)
2016-12-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/28/2017 (nbn) (Entered: 12/22/2016)
2017-02-2811Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 02/28/2017)
2017-02-28MINUTE ORDER: The Court adopts the parties' proposal and ORDERS that they shall file joint status reports on the last Tuesday of each month until further Order of the Court. Signed by Judge James E. Boasberg on 2/28/17. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 02/28/2017)
2017-03-2812Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 03/28/2017)
2017-04-2513Joint STATUS REPORT by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 04/25/2017)
2017-05-3014Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 05/30/2017)
2017-06-2715Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 06/27/2017)
2017-07-2516Joint STATUS REPORT filed by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 07/25/2017)
2017-08-2917Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 08/29/2017)
2017-09-2618Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 09/26/2017)
2017-10-3119Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 10/31/2017)
2017-11-2820Joint STATUS REPORT by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 11/28/2017)
2017-12-2621Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 12/26/2017)
2018-01-3022Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Berns, Matthew) (Entered: 01/30/2018)
2018-02-0823NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Nikhel Sus on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Matthew J. Berns (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 02/08/2018)
2018-02-2724Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 02/27/2018)
2018-03-2725Joint STATUS REPORT by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 03/27/2018)
2018-04-2426Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 04/24/2018)
2018-05-2927Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 05/29/2018)
2018-06-2628Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 06/26/2018)
2018-07-3129Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 07/31/2018)
2018-08-2430NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Marsha Stelson Edney on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Substituting for attorney Nikhel Sus (Edney, Marsha) (Entered: 08/24/2018)
2018-08-2831Joint STATUS REPORT by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 08/28/2018)
2018-09-2532Joint STATUS REPORT of the Parties by CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE. (Geske, Michael) (Entered: 09/25/2018)
2018-09-2633NOTICE of Change of Address by Marsha Stelson Edney (Edney, Marsha) (Entered: 09/26/2018)
2018-10-3034Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Edney, Marsha) (Entered: 10/30/2018)
2018-10-30MINUTE ORDER: Per the parties' 34 Joint Status Report, the Court ORDERS that they shall file a further Joint Status Report by November 30, 2018. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 10/30/2018. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 10/30/2018)
2018-10-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/30/2018. (znbn) (Entered: 10/31/2018)
2018-11-1535STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Edney, Marsha) (Entered: 11/15/2018)
2018-11-15MINUTE ORDER: Per the parties' 35 Stipulation, the Court ORDERS that the case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. So ORDERED by Judge James E. Boasberg on 11/15/2018. (lcjeb2) (Entered: 11/15/2018)
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