Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitlePROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC. v. U.S. CENSUS BUREAU et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv01628
Date Filed2018-07-10
Date Closed2019-03-25
JudgeJudge Royce C. Lamberth
PlaintiffPROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC.
Case DescriptionThe Protect Democracy Project submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau for records concerning plans to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census form. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests. The Commerce Department asked PDP if it would accept records responsive to two similar requests. PDP said that it would accept those records as responsive. However, after hearing nothing further from either agency, PDP filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. CENSUS BUREAU
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
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
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2018-07-101COMPLAINT against The U.S. Census Bureau, The U.S. Department of Commerce ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5580747) filed by Protect Democracy Project, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit B, # 4 Exhibit C, # 5 Exhibit D, # 6 Exhibit E, # 7 Exhibit F, # 8 Exhibit G, # 9 Summons Census, # 10 Summons Commerce)(Lawson, Dennis) (Entered: 07/10/2018)
2018-07-102Corporate Disclosure Statement by Protect Democracy Project, Inc.. (Lawson, Dennis) (Entered: 07/10/2018)
2018-07-103NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by Protect Democracy Project, Inc.. Case related to Case No. 17-2561; 18-379. (Lawson, Dennis) (Main Document 3 replaced on 7/27/2018) (znmw). (Entered: 07/10/2018)
2018-07-11Case Assigned to Judge Royce C. Lamberth. (zsb) (Entered: 07/12/2018)
2018-07-124SUMMONS (2) Issued Electronically as to U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 07/12/2018)
2018-07-235ENTERED IN ERROR....RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/17/2017. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/15/2017. (Lawson, Dennis) Modified on 7/24/2018 (zrdj). (Entered: 07/23/2018)
2018-07-236ENTERED IN ERROR.....RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the District of Columbia Attorney General. Date of Service Upon District of Columbia Attorney General 7/16/2017. Answer due for ALL D.C. DEFENDANTS by 8/6/2017. (Lawson, Dennis) Modified on 7/24/2018 (zjf). (Entered: 07/23/2018)
2018-07-237RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. CENSUS BUREAU served on 7/23/2018 (Lawson, Dennis) Modified on 7/24/2018 to correct service date (jf). (Entered: 07/23/2018)
2018-07-238RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE served on 7/16/2018 (Lawson, Dennis) (Entered: 07/23/2018)
2018-07-24NOTICE OF CORRECTED DOCKET ENTRY: re 5 Summons Returned Executed as to US Attorney, was entered in error (Wrong event) and counsel was instructed to refile said pleading using the event "Summons Returned Executed in FOIA case as to U.S. Attorney". (zrdj) (Entered: 07/24/2018)
2018-07-249RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/17/2018. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/16/2018. (Lawson, Dennis) (Entered: 07/24/2018)
2018-07-24NOTICE OF CORRECTED DOCKET ENTRY: Document No. re 6 Summons Returned Executed as to DC Attorney General, was entered in error at the request of counsel and will refile for issuance of correct summons as to the U.S. Attorney General.(zjf) (Entered: 07/24/2018)
2018-07-2410REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE filed by PROTECT DEMOCRACY PROJECT, INC..(Lawson, Dennis) (Entered: 07/24/2018)
2018-07-2411SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to U.S. Attorney General (jf) (Entered: 07/24/2018)
2018-07-2712RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/27/2018. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/26/2018. (Lawson, Dennis) (Entered: 07/27/2018)
2018-08-1613NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua M. Kolsky on behalf of U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Kolsky, Joshua) (Entered: 08/16/2018)
2018-08-1614ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.(Kolsky, Joshua) (Entered: 08/16/2018)
2018-09-1815ORDER directing the parties to file a Vaughn Index due by 10/15/2018. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 9/14/18. (lsj) (Entered: 09/18/2018)
2018-10-1516Consent MOTION to Vacate 15 Order, Set Deadlines by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Kolsky, Joshua) (Entered: 10/15/2018)
2018-10-1717ORDER granting 16 Motion to Vacate; parties shall file Joint Status Report by 11/16/2018. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 10/17/2018. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 10/17/2018)
2018-11-1618Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Kolsky, Joshua) (Entered: 11/16/2018)
2018-12-2119NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Paul Cirino on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Joshua M. Kolsky (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 12/21/2018)
2019-01-0320Unopposed MOTION to Stay in Light of Lapse in Appropriations by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 01/03/2019)
2019-01-1621ORDER granting 20 Motion to Stay. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 1/16/2019. (lcrcl2) (Entered: 01/16/2019)
2019-01-2922NOTICE of Restored Government Funding by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 01/29/2019)
2019-02-0123Proposed Briefing Schedule by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Cirino, Paul) Modified on 2/4/2019 to correct docket text (jf). (Entered: 02/01/2019)
2019-02-2824Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 02/28/2019)
2019-03-01MINUTE ORDER: The stay entered on 1/16/2019 is lifted and the parties shall confer and submit another joint status report on or before March 25, 2019. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 03/01/2019. (lcrcl3) Modified on 3/4/2019 (zlsj). (Entered: 03/01/2019)
2019-03-2525STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 03/25/2019)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar