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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv01301
Date Filed2019-05-06
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Carl J. Nichols
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Commerce, the Department of State, and the Department of the Treasury for records concerning communications to or from the White House pertaining to casino operator Sheldon Adelson. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests. American Oversight also submitted a second FOIA request to the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury for records of communications to or from Sheldon Adelson or anyone acting on his behalf. The agencies acknowledged receipt of that request. American Oversight submitted a third FOIA request to the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury for records concerning meetings in Washington, DC that involved Sheldon Adelson. The agencies acknowledged receipt of those requests. After hearing nothing further from any of the agencies pertaining to any of its requests, American Oversight filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
TERMINATED: 05/05/2020
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
TERMINATED: 07/13/2020
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2019-05-061COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6104638) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons to U.S. Attorney, # 3 Summons to U.S. Attorney General, # 4 Summons to U.S. Department of Commerce, # 5 Summons to U.S. Department of State, # 6 Summons to U.S. Department of the Treasury)(Cafasso, Cerissa) (Entered: 05/06/2019)
2019-05-062LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Cafasso, Cerissa) (Entered: 05/06/2019)
2019-05-07Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (zef, ) (Entered: 05/07/2019)
2019-05-073SUMMONS (5) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Entered: 05/07/2019)
2019-05-074STANDING ORDER Establishing Procedures for Cases Before Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The parties are hereby ORDERED to read and comply with the directives in the attached standing order. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 5/7/2019. (lctnm1) (Entered: 05/07/2019)
2019-05-145MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Katherine M. Anthony, :Firm- American Oversight, :Address- 1030 15th St. NW, B255, Washington, DC 20005. Phone No. - (202) 897-3918. Fax No. - (202) 871-6523 Filing fee $ 100, receipt number 0090-6123178. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Katherine M. Anthony, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Cafasso, Cerissa) (Entered: 05/14/2019)
2019-05-14MINUTE ORDER granting the 5 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Counsel Katherine M. Anthony shall promptly register for this Court's CM/ECF system. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 5/14/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 05/14/2019)
2019-05-296RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 5/8/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 6/7/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 5/13/2019., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE served on 5/13/2019; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 5/13/2019; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY served on 5/13/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Clay M. Goode)(Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 05/29/2019)
2019-06-057NOTICE of Appearance by Jason Todd Cohen on behalf of All Defendants (Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 06/05/2019)
2019-06-078ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY.(Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
2019-06-07MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court are a complaint and an answer in this FOIA case. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report proposing a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule should address, among other things, the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, and a briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if required. The parties shall file the schedule on or before June 28, 2019. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 6/7/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
2019-06-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/28/2019. (hmc) (Entered: 06/10/2019)
2019-06-24Case directly reassigned to Judge Carl J. Nichols. Judge Trevor N. McFadden is no longer assigned to the case. (rj) (Entered: 06/24/2019)
2019-06-289Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 06/28/2019)
2019-07-3110Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 07/31/2019)
2019-08-02MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 10 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall submit an additional Joint Status Report by August 28, 2019. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on August 2, 2019. (lccjn1) (Entered: 08/02/2019)
2019-08-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Additional Joint Status Report due by 8/28/2019. (mac) (Entered: 08/02/2019)
2019-08-2811Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-08-28MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall submit an additional Joint Status Report by September 26, 2019. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on August 28, 2019. (lccjn1) (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-08-28Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 9/26/2019. (zcdw) (Entered: 09/02/2019)
2019-09-2112Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 09/21/2019)
2019-09-23MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of Defendants' 12 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time, it is hereby ORDERED that the Motion is GRANTED and that the Parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report on or before October 3, 2019. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on September 23, 2019. (lccjn1) (Entered: 09/23/2019)
2019-09-23Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 10/3/2019. (zcdw) (Entered: 09/24/2019)
2019-10-0313Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 10/03/2019)
2019-10-04MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 13 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report on or before October 31, 2019. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on October 4, 2019. (lccjn1) (Entered: 10/04/2019)
2019-10-04Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 10/31/2019. (zcdw) (Entered: 10/04/2019)
2019-10-2314NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. Attorney Cerissa Cafasso terminated. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Cafasso, Cerissa) (Entered: 10/23/2019)
2019-10-3115Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (Cohen, Jason) (Entered: 10/31/2019)
2019-11-01MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 15 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report on or before January 9, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on November 1, 2019. (lccjn1) (Entered: 11/01/2019)
2019-11-01Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 1/9/2020. (zcdw) (Entered: 11/04/2019)
2019-11-2416NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Sean Michael Tepe on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Jason Cohen (Tepe, Sean) (Entered: 11/24/2019)
2020-01-0917Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 01/09/2020)
2020-01-09MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 17 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report on or before March 9, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on January 9, 2020. (lccjn1) (Entered: 01/09/2020)
2020-01-09Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 3/9/2020. (zcdw) (Entered: 01/10/2020)
2020-03-0918Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 03/09/2020)
2020-03-09MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the Parties' 18 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file a Joint Status Report by May 7, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on March 9, 2020. (lccjn2) (Entered: 03/09/2020)
2020-03-09Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 5/7/2020. (zcdw) (Entered: 03/12/2020)
2020-05-0519STIPULATION of Dismissal of Defendant U.S. Department of Commerce by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 05/05/2020)
2020-05-0720Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 05/07/2020)
2020-05-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 20 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report on or before July 14, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on May 11, 2020. (lccjn1) (Entered: 05/11/2020)
2020-05-11Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 7/14/2020. (zcdw) (Entered: 05/13/2020)
2020-07-1321STIPULATION of Dismissal as to Defendant U.S. Department of the Treasury by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 07/13/2020)
2020-07-1422Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 07/14/2020)
2020-07-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the Parties' 22 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report on or before September 14, 2020. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on July 15, 2020. (lccjn1) (Entered: 07/15/2020)
2020-07-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/14/2020. (zcal) (Entered: 07/15/2020)
2020-09-1023STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 09/10/2020)
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