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Case TitleAMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE v. UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2017cv00645
Date Filed2017-04-12
Date Closed2017-11-20
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffAMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE
Case DescriptionThe American Center for Law and Justice submitted FOIA requests to the National Security Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for records concerning deliberations on procedures for use of signal intelligence. ACLJ also requested expedited processing. Both agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests and the NSA denied the request for expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agencies, ACLJ filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY
DefendantUNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2017-04-121COMPLAINT against ALL DEFENDANTS ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4911082) filed by AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - NSA FOIA Request, # 2 Exhibit B - ODNI FOIA Request, # 3 Civil Cover Sheet, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons, # 6 Summons, # 7 Summons)(Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 04/12/2017)
2017-04-122Corporate Disclosure Statement by AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE. (Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 04/12/2017)
2017-04-123NOTICE of Appearance by Abigail A. Southerland on behalf of AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE (Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 04/12/2017)
2017-04-12Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (md) (Entered: 04/13/2017)
2017-04-134SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Consent Form)(zsb) (Entered: 04/13/2017)
2017-05-115RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 04/20/2017. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Delivery Confirmation)(Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 05/11/2017)
2017-05-116RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY served on 4/24/2017 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 05/11/2017)
2017-05-117RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE served on 4/24/2017 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 05/11/2017)
2017-05-118RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/20/2017. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/20/2017. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 05/11/2017)
2017-05-229ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.(Elliott, Stephen) (Entered: 05/22/2017)
2017-05-22MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and submit a proposed briefing schedule on or before June 5, 2017. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 5/22/2017. (lcrc3) (Entered: 05/22/2017)
2017-05-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 6/5/2017 (hs) (Entered: 05/23/2017)
2017-05-2610NOTICE of Appearance by Benjamin Paul Sisney on behalf of AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE (Sisney, Benjamin) (Entered: 05/26/2017)
2017-05-2611NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Robert Clark on behalf of AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE (Clark, Matthew) (Entered: 05/26/2017)
2017-06-0212Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (Elliott, Stephen) (Entered: 06/02/2017)
2017-06-05MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 12 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before July 14, 2017 in which the parties describe Defendants' efforts to identify records responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA requests, recommend a schedule for processing and releasing responsive, non-exempt materials, and identify any issues that either party believes may ultimately require the Court's resolution. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 6/5/2017. (lcrc3) (Entered: 06/05/2017)
2017-07-1413Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (Elliott, Stephen) (Entered: 07/14/2017)
2017-07-16MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 13 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before September 1, 2017 in which the parties describe the results of the NSA's additional searches and recommend a schedule for processing and releasing responsive, non-exempt materials. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 7/16/2017. (lcrc3) (Entered: 07/16/2017)
2017-07-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 9/1/2017. (tj) (Entered: 07/17/2017)
2017-08-3114Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (Elliott, Stephen) (Entered: 08/31/2017)
2017-08-31MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 14 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendants will release all remaining responsive, non-exempt information by October 6, 2017. It is FURTHER ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before October 20, 2017 to inform the Court how the parties believe the litigation should proceed. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 8/31/2017. (lcrc3) (Entered: 08/31/2017)
2017-09-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 10/20/2017 (tj) (Entered: 09/01/2017)
2017-10-2015Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE. (Southerland, Abigail) (Entered: 10/20/2017)
2017-10-20MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 15 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a joint status report on or before November 20, 2017 indicating whether the parties anticipate filing any motions for which the Court must enter a briefing schedule. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 10/20/2017. (lcrc3) (Entered: 10/20/2017)
2017-11-2016Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (Elliott, Stephen) (Entered: 11/20/2017)
2017-11-2017STIPULATION of Dismissal with Prejudice by UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. (Elliott, Stephen) (Entered: 11/20/2017)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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