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Case TitlePEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv01947
Date Filed2018-08-20
Date Closed2019-07-24
JudgeJudge Emmet G. Sullivan
PlaintiffPEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY
Case DescriptionPeople for the American Way submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Education, the EPA, and the Department of Agriculture for records concerning communications between agency officials and Ralph Drollinger and Capitol Ministries pertaining to a Bible study conducted by Capitol Ministries. PFAW also requested a fee waiver. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests, but after hearing nothing further from the agencies, PFAW filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DefendantUNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
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

2018-08-201COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5648130) filed by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons US Department of Agriculture, # 3 Summons US Department of Education, # 4 Summons US Environmental Protection Agency)(Goldblatt, Craig) (Entered: 08/20/2018)
2018-08-202LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY (Goldblatt, Craig) (Entered: 08/20/2018)
2018-08-20Case Assigned to Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. (zmd) (Entered: 08/22/2018)
2018-08-223STANDING ORDER: The parties are directed to read the attached Standing Order Governing Civil Cases Before Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in its entirety upon receipt. The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the directives in the attached Standing Order. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 08/22/18. (Attachment: # 1 Exhibit 1) (mac) (Entered: 08/22/2018)
2018-08-224SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent) (zmd) (Entered: 08/22/2018)
2018-09-215MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Arjun K. Jaikumar, :Firm- Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, :Address- 60 State Street Boston, MA 02109. Phone No. - 617-526-6050. Fax No. - 617-526-5000 Filing fee $ 100, receipt number 0090-5700131. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Arjun K. Jaikumar in Support of the Motion, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Goldblatt, Craig) (Entered: 09/21/2018)
2018-09-24MINUTE ORDER granting 5 motion for leave to appear pro hac vice. Arjun K. Jaikumar is hereby admitted pro hac vice in this action. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 9/24/2018. (lcegs2) (Entered: 09/24/2018)
2018-09-266NOTICE of Appearance by Brian J. Field on behalf of All Defendants (Field, Brian) (Entered: 09/26/2018)
2018-09-267ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.(Field, Brian) (Entered: 09/26/2018)
2018-10-048NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Jean-Michel Voltaire on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Brian J. Field (Voltaire, Jean-Michel) (Entered: 10/04/2018)
2018-10-31MINUTE ORDER. Plaintiff brings this action pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552. The parties are directed to meet and confer and propose a joint scheduling order for further proceedings in this case by no later than December, 2, 2018. The parties' joint proposed scheduling order shall address the following: (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 documents responsive to plaintiff's FOIA request; (4) Whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case; (5) Whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case; (6) Whether this case would benefit from referral to a magistrate judge or the District Court Mediation Program for purposes of settlement; and (7) A proposed briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if applicable. If the parties are unable to agree on a joint recommendation, the joint proposed scheduling order shall include each party's individual recommendations. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 10/31/2018. (lcegs2) (Entered: 10/31/2018)
2018-11-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Scheduling Order For Further Proceedings due by 12/2/2018. (mac) (Entered: 11/01/2018)
2018-11-309Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. (Voltaire, Jean-Michel) (Entered: 11/30/2018)
2018-12-03MINUTE ORDER. In light of 9 the parties' joint status report, the parties are directed to file a further joint status report by no later than January 15, 2019. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 12/3/2018. (lcegs2) (Entered: 12/03/2018)
2018-12-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/15/2019. (mac) (Entered: 12/03/2018)
2019-01-0310MOTION to Stay all Proceedings by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Voltaire, Jean-Michel) (Entered: 01/03/2019)
2019-01-04MINUTE ORDER granting 10 motion for stay in light of lapse of appropriations. Proceedings are hereby stayed until January 18, 2019 or until appropriations are restored, whichever is sooner. Counsel for defendants are directed to notify the Court as soon as Congress has appropriated funds for the Department of Justice and the affected federal defendants. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 1/4/2019. (lcegs2) (Entered: 01/04/2019)
2019-01-1811Consent MOTION to Stay by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Voltaire, Jean-Michel) (Entered: 01/18/2019)
2019-01-28MINUTE ORDER denying 11 motion to stay in light of lapse of appropriations as moot. The parties are directed to file a joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than February 18, 2019. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 1/28/2019. (lcegs2) (Entered: 01/28/2019)
2019-01-29Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/18/2019. (mac) (Entered: 01/29/2019)
2019-02-1912Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. (Voltaire, Jean-Michel) (Entered: 02/19/2019)
2019-03-04MINUTE ORDER. In light of 12 the parties' joint status report, the parties are directed to file a further joint status report by no later than April 12, 2019. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 3/4/2019. (lcegs2) (Entered: 03/04/2019)
2019-03-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/12/2019. (mac) (Entered: 03/05/2019)
2019-04-1213NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Marsha Stelson Edney on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Substituting for attorney Jean-Michel Voltaire (Edney, Marsha) (Entered: 04/12/2019)
2019-04-1214Joint STATUS REPORT by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY. (Goldblatt, Craig) (Entered: 04/12/2019)
2019-04-30MINUTE ORDER. In light of 14 the parties' joint status report, the parties are directed to file a further joint status report by no later than May 17, 2019. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 4/30/2019. (lcegs2) (Entered: 04/30/2019)
2019-05-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/17/2019. (mac) (Entered: 05/01/2019)
2019-05-1715Joint MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report to June 7, 2019 by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Goldblatt, Craig) (Entered: 05/17/2019)
2019-05-21MINUTE ORDER granting 15 joint motion for an extension of time. The parties shall file a joint status report and proposed briefing schedule by no later than June 7, 2019. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 5/21/2019. (lcegs2) (Entered: 05/21/2019)
2019-05-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report And Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 6/7/2019. (mac) (Entered: 05/21/2019)
2019-06-0716Joint STATUS REPORT by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY. (Goldblatt, Craig) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
2019-06-10MINUTE ORDER. In light of 16 the parties' joint status report, the parties are directed to file a further joint status report by no later than July 22, 2019. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 6/10/2019. (lcegs2) (Entered: 06/10/2019)
2019-06-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Further Joint Status Report due by 7/22/2019. (mac) (Entered: 06/11/2019)
2019-07-2217STIPULATION of Dismissal With Prejudice and Status Report by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY. (Goldblatt, Craig) (Entered: 07/22/2019)
2019-07-2218STATUS REPORT by PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY. (See Entry 17 to view document) (jf) (Entered: 07/23/2019)
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