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Case TitleCENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv00814
Date Filed2018-04-10
Date Closed2021-06-15
JudgeJudge Ketanji Brown Jackson
PlaintiffCENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
Case DescriptionThe Center for Biological Diversity submitted five FOIA requests to the Department of the Interior for records concerning the Cadiz Valley Water Project, communications of Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt, and communications of Deputy Secretary Todd Willens along with his appointment calendar. After hearing nothing further from the agency pertaining to any of its requests, the Center for Biological Diversity filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
DefendantU.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
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
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2018-04-101COMPLAINT FOIA against All Plaintiffs against U.S. Department of the Interior et al. ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5413642) filed by CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Certificate, # 3 Summons Interior, # 4 Summons BLM, # 5 Summons US Atty, # 6 Summons AG, # 7 Motion, # 8 Declaration Pro Hac Vice)(Snape, William) (Attachment 1 replaced on 4/11/2018) (jd) (Entered: 04/10/2018)
2018-04-102LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. (jd) (Entered: 04/12/2018)
2018-04-10Case Assigned to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. (jd) (Entered: 04/12/2018)
2018-04-12SUMMONS Not Issued as to U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (jd) (Entered: 04/12/2018)
2018-04-163REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE filed by CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Snape, William) (Entered: 04/16/2018)
2018-04-164MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Lisa T. Belenky, :Firm- Center for Biological Diversity, :Address- 1212 Broadway St. #800 Oakland, CA 94612. Phone No. - 510-844-7107. Filing fee $ 100, receipt number 0090-5424319. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Snape, William) (Entered: 04/16/2018)
2018-04-175SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (jf) (Entered: 04/17/2018)
2018-04-18MINUTE ORDER granting 4 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. It is hereby ORDERED that Lisa T. Belenky is admitted pro hac vice in this matter as counsel for Plaintiff. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 04/18/2018. (lckbj1) (Entered: 04/18/2018)
2018-04-256GENERAL ORDER AND GUIDELINES FOR CIVIL CASES BEFORE JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON. The Court will hold the parties and counsel responsible for following these directives, and parties and counsel should pay particular attention to the Courts instructions for briefing motions and filing exhibits. Failure to adhere to this Order may, when appropriate, result the imposition of sanctions and/or sua sponte denial of non-conforming motions. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 4/25/2018. (lckbj1) (Entered: 04/25/2018)
2018-05-017ENTERED IN ERROR.....RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. All Defendants (Attachments: # 1 Summons Successful Return Receipt, # 2 Summons Successful Return Receipt, # 3 Summons Successful Return Receipt)(Snape, William) Modified on 5/2/2018 (jf). (Entered: 05/01/2018)
2018-05-02NOTICE OF CORRECTED DOCKET ENTRY: Document No. re 7 Summons Returned Executed as to Federal Defendant, was entered in error and counsel was instructed to refile said pleading using the proper events ( Summons returned executed as to Federal Defendants (you must select each defendant and not the radio button), Summons returned executed in FOIA case as to U.S. Attorney and Summons returned executed as to U.S. Attorney General) (jf) (Entered: 05/02/2018)
2018-05-158RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT served on 5/8/2018; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR served on 5/7/2018, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 5/7/2018., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 5/7/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 6/6/2018.) (Snape, William) (Entered: 05/15/2018)
2018-05-319NOTICE of Appearance by Marsha Wellknown Yee on behalf of U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 05/31/2018)
2018-05-3110ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 05/31/2018)
2018-06-01MINUTE 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, on or before 6/15/2018. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 06/1/2018. (lckbj1) (Entered: 06/01/2018)
2018-06-1511Joint STATUS REPORT (Joint Proposed Schedule) by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 06/15/2018)
2018-06-18MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before 8/28/2018, which shall contain a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 06/18/2018. (lckbj1) (Entered: 06/18/2018)
2018-08-2812Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 08/28/2018)
2018-08-30MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before 10/10/2018, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 8/30/2018. (lckbj1) (Entered: 08/30/2018)
2018-10-1013Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 10/10/2018)
2018-10-1514SUPERSEDING GENERAL ORDER AND GUIDELINES FOR FOIA CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON. This Order supersedes this Court's prior 6 General Order and Guidelines for Civil Cases. The Court will hold the parties and counsel responsible for following these amended directives, and parties and counsel should pay particular attention to the Court's instructions for processing and production of records, batching motions, and filing exhibits. Failure to adhere to this Order may, when appropriate, result the imposition of sanctions and/or sua sponte denial of non-conforming motions. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 10/15/2018. (lckbj1) (Entered: 10/15/2018)
2018-10-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before 11/29/2018, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 10/15/2018. (lckbj1) (Entered: 10/15/2018)
2018-11-2915Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/29/2018)
2018-11-29MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before 1/31/2019, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 11/29/2018. (lckbj3) (Entered: 11/29/2018)
2018-11-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/31/2019 (gdf) (Entered: 11/30/2018)
2019-01-3116Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 01/31/2019)
2019-02-08MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before 3/28/2019, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 2/8/2019. (lckbj1) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-03-2817Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 03/28/2019)
2019-04-05MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before 6/27/2019, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 4/5/2019. (lckbj1) (Entered: 04/05/2019)
2019-04-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 6/27/2019 (tj) (Entered: 04/09/2019)
2019-06-2718Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 06/27/2019)
2019-06-28MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 18 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 10/2/2019, the parties shall file a further joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 6/28/2019. (lckbj1) (Entered: 06/28/2019)
2019-10-0219Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 10/02/2019)
2019-10-03MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 19 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 12/18/2019, the parties shall file a further joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 10/3/2019. (lckbj1) (Entered: 10/03/2019)
2019-10-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/18/2019 (hs) (Entered: 10/04/2019)
2019-12-1820Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 12/18/2019)
2020-01-02MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 20 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 5/7/2020, the parties shall file a further joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 1/2/2020. (jag) (Entered: 01/02/2020)
2020-05-0721Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 05/07/2020)
2020-05-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 21 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 9/10/2020, the parties shall file a further joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 5/11/2020. (jag) (Entered: 05/11/2020)
2020-09-0422Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 09/04/2020)
2020-09-04MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 22 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 12/9/2020, the parties shall file a further joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 9/4/2020. (jag) (Entered: 09/04/2020)
2020-09-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/9/2020 (hs) (Entered: 09/04/2020)
2020-09-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/9/2020 (hs) (Entered: 09/04/2020)
2020-12-0923Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 12/09/2020)
2020-12-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 23 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 3/13/2021, the parties shall file a further joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 12/11/2020. (jag) (Entered: 12/11/2020)
2021-03-1124Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 03/11/2021)
2021-03-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 24 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 6/10/2021, the parties shall file a further joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for future proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 3/11/2021. (jag) (Entered: 03/11/2021)
2021-06-1025Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 06/10/2021)
2021-06-1526STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 06/15/2021)
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