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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv00221
Date Filed2018-01-31
Date Closed2018-06-28
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the PST file for Dennis Cheng, who served as Deputy Chief of Protocol from July 2009 to July 2011. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Attorney's fees, Adequacy - Search, Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Vaughn index

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

2018-01-311COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5311389) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons for U.S. Attorney for DC, # 3 Summons for Attorney General, # 4 Summons for U.S. Department of State)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 01/31/2018)
2018-01-312LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 01/31/2018)
2018-01-31Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zsth) (Entered: 01/31/2018)
2018-01-313SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsth) (Entered: 01/31/2018)
2018-02-074RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/5/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/7/2018.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 02/05/18., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 2/5/2018 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1 (U.S. Attorney for DC), # 2 Exhibit 2 (U.S. Attorney General), # 3 Exhibit 3 (U.S. Department of State))(Peterson, James) (Entered: 02/07/2018)
2018-02-085NOTICE of Appearance by Scott Leeson Sroka on behalf of All Defendants (Sroka, Scott) (Entered: 02/08/2018)
2018-03-076ANSWER to 1 Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Sroka, Scott) Modified to add link on 3/8/2018 (znmw). (Entered: 03/07/2018)
2018-03-07MINUTE ORDER. Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before March 22, 2018. The Joint Status Report shall include (1) the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request; (2) the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request; (3) the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff; (4) whether a motion for stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force, 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); and (5) whether the parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/7/2018. (lcapm2) (Entered: 03/07/2018)
2018-03-07Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 3/22/2018. (zcdw) (Entered: 03/08/2018)
2018-03-227Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Sroka, Scott) (Entered: 03/22/2018)
2018-03-22MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 7 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file another Joint Status Report on or before April 23, 2018, that updates the court on their progress and, if necessary, proposes a briefing schedule for summary judgment. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/22/2018. (lcapm2) (Entered: 03/22/2018)
2018-04-238Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 04/23/2018)
2018-04-23MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file another Joint Status Report on or before May 7, 2018, that updates the court on their progress and, if necessary, proposes a summary judgment briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 4/23/2018. (lcapm2) (Entered: 04/23/2018)
2018-04-23Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 5/7/2018. (zcdw) (Entered: 04/24/2018)
2018-05-079Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 05/07/2018)
2018-05-0910ORDER setting the schedule for further proceedings in this matter: (1) Defendant shall file its Motion for Summary Judgment on or before July 2, 2018; (2) Plaintiff shall file its Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition to Defendant's Motion on or before August 3, 2018; (3) Defendant shall file its Reply and Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment on or before August 17, 2018; and (4) Plaintiff shall file its Reply on or before August 31, 2018. See the attached Order for details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/9/2018. (lcapm2) (Entered: 05/09/2018)
2018-05-09Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Defendants Summary Judgment motion due by 7/2/2018. Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 8/3/2018. Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 8/17/2018. Plaintiffs Cross Motion due by 8/3/2018. Response to Cross Motion due by 8/17/2018. Reply to Cross Motion due by 8/31/2018. (zcdw) (Entered: 05/11/2018)
2018-06-2811STIPULATION of Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 06/28/2018)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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