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Case TitleWESTERN VALUES PROJECT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2017cv01671
Date Filed2017-08-17
Date Closed2019-04-04
JudgeJudge Christopher R. Cooper
PlaintiffWESTERN VALUES PROJECT
Case DescriptionThe Western Values Project submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel for records concerning any request or effort to revisit, rescind, amend, or revoke a 2000 OLC opinion entitled Administration of Coral Reef Resources in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. Western Values Project submitted a second FOIA request for records concerning communications with OLC and John Yoo and Todd Gaziano concerning presidential authority to revoke or reduce national monument designations. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. However, after hearing nothing further on either request, Western Values Project filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Opinion/Order [18]
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2017-08-171COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5078456) filed by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 LRCv7.1, # 3 Summons)(Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 08/17/2017)
2017-08-17Case Assigned to Judge Christopher R. Cooper. (sth) (Entered: 08/17/2017)
2017-08-172SUMMONS (3)Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Summons)(sth) (Entered: 08/17/2017)
2017-08-173LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT (sth) (Entered: 08/17/2017)
2017-09-144RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/22/2017. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/21/2017. (Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 09/14/2017)
2017-09-145RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 08/22/2017. (Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 09/14/2017)
2017-09-146RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 8/28/2017 (Hodes, Scott) Modified on 9/14/2017 to correct filing date (zrdj). (Entered: 09/14/2017)
2017-09-217NOTICE of Appearance by Marsha Wellknown Yee on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 09/21/2017)
2017-09-218ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 09/21/2017)
2017-10-04MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall promptly confer and file a joint proposed schedule for briefing or disclosure by October 19, 2017. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 10/4/2017. (lccrc1) (Entered: 10/04/2017)
2017-10-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 10/19/2017 (lsj) (Entered: 10/04/2017)
2017-10-199PROPOSED BRIEFING SCHEDULE by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 10/19/2017)
2017-10-20MINUTE ORDER: In light of the parties' 9 Joint Proposed Schedule, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties file a joint briefing schedule, if one is necessary, on or before November 29, 2017. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 10/20/2017. (lccrc1) (Entered: 10/20/2017)
2017-10-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 11/29/2017 (lsj) (Entered: 10/20/2017)
2017-11-2910PROPOSED BRIEFING SCHEDULE (Joint) by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/29/2017)
2017-12-01MINUTE ORDER: In light of the parties' 10 Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's motion for summary judgment shall be filed by February 8, 2018; Plaintiff's combined opposition and any cross-motion for summary judgment shall be filed by March 20, 2018; Defendant's combined reply and opposition shall be filed by April 30, 2018; and Plaintiff's reply in support of any cross-motion shall be filed by June 8, 2018. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 12/1/2017. (lccrc1) (Entered: 12/01/2017)
2017-12-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Summary Judgment motions due by 2/8/2018. Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 3/20/2018. Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 4/30/2018. Plaintiff's Replies due by 6/8/2018. (lsj) (Entered: 12/04/2017)
2018-02-0811MOTION for Summary Judgment by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Statement of Facts, # 2 Declaration Paul P. Colborn, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 02/08/2018)
2018-03-2012Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT (Attachments: # 1 Statement of Facts, # 2 Memorandum in Support, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 03/20/2018)
2018-03-2013Memorandum in opposition to re 11 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Statement of Facts, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 03/20/2018)
2018-04-3014REPLY to opposition to motion re 11 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Colborn Declaration II, # 2 Def.'s Resps. to Pl.'s Additional Material Facts, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 04/30/2018)
2018-04-3015Memorandum in opposition to re 12 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Colborn Declaration II, # 2 Def.'s Resps. to Pl.'s Additional Material Facts, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 04/30/2018)
2018-06-0816REPLY to opposition to motion re 12 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Hodes, Scott) (Entered: 06/08/2018)
2018-07-1817ORDER granting in part and denying in part 11 Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment; granting in part and denying in part 12 Plaintiff's Cross Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 7/18/2018. (lccrc1) (Entered: 07/18/2018)
2018-07-1818MEMORANDUM OPINION re 17 Order. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 7/18/2018. (lccrc1) (Entered: 07/18/2018)
2018-07-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant's acknowledgment of the existence or nonexistence of responsive records to Plaintiff's request due by 8/1/2018 (lsj) (Entered: 07/23/2018)
2018-08-0119NOTICE (Defendant's Acknowledgment) by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 08/01/2018)
2018-08-0720Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 08/07/2018)
2018-11-20MINUTE ORDER: Almost three months having passed since Defendant anticipated producing its Vaughn index, the parties are requested to file a joint status report advising the Court on the need for further proceedings in this case. If further proceedings are necessary, the parties shall propose a schedule for production and/or summary judgment briefing. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 11/20/2018. (lccrc1) (Entered: 11/20/2018)
2018-11-2621Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/26/2018)
2019-02-28MINUTE ORDER: The parties are directed to file by March 7, 2019 a joint status report advising the Court on the Office of Legal Counsel's document review and production, and the need for further proceedings in this case. If further proceedings are necessary, the parties shall propose a schedule for production and/or summary judgment briefing. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 2/28/2019. (lccrc1) (Entered: 02/28/2019)
2019-03-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/7/2019 (lsj) (Entered: 03/01/2019)
2019-03-0722Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 03/07/2019)
2019-03-11MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 22 joint status report, the parties are instructed to file a further joint status report on or before April 4, 2019. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 3/11/2019. (lccrc1) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/4/2019 (lsj) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-04-0323STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 04/03/2019)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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