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Case TitleCITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv02363
Date Filed2019-08-06
Date Closed2022-08-10
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffCITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON
Case DescriptionCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Commerce for records concerning communications between Secretary Wilbur Ross and Thomas Barrack, chair of the Trump inauguration committee, or White House advisor Eric Branstad. CREW also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, CREW filed suit.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Attorney's fees, Failure to respond within statutory time limit

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
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

2019-08-061COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6302872) filed by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney, # 3 Summons U.S. Dep't of Commerce, # 4 Summons Attorney General)(Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 08/06/2019)
2019-08-062LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON (Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 08/06/2019)
2019-08-07Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zjd) (Entered: 08/07/2019)
2019-08-073SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zjd) (Entered: 08/07/2019)
2019-08-134RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/12/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/11/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE served on 8/12/2019 (Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 08/13/2019)
2019-09-115NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 09/11/2019)
2019-09-116ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 09/11/2019)
2019-09-127ORDER. 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 September 25, 2019. 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 09/12/2019. (lcapm2) Modified document type on 9/12/2019 (zjd). (Entered: 09/12/2019)
2019-09-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/25/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 09/12/2019)
2019-09-258Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 09/25/2019)
2019-09-26MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by November 13, 2019, which updates the court on Defendants search and production efforts. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 09/26/2019. (lcapm2) (Entered: 09/26/2019)
2019-09-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/13/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 09/30/2019)
2019-11-139Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/13/2019)
2019-11-13MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 22, 2020, which updates the court on Defendants' search and production efforts. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/13/2019. (lcapm2) (Entered: 11/13/2019)
2019-11-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/22/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2020-01-2210Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 01/22/2020)
2020-01-23MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by March 3, 2020, which updates the court on Defendants' search and production efforts and proposes a schedule for further proceedings, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/23/2020. (lcapm2) (Entered: 01/23/2020)
2020-01-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/3/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 01/24/2020)
2020-03-0311Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 03/03/2020)
2020-03-03MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by April 2, 2020, which updates the court on the three documents referred for review to another agency and, if necessary, proposes a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 03/03/2020. (lcapm2) (Entered: 03/03/2020)
2020-03-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/2/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 03/15/2020)
2020-04-0212Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 04/02/2020)
2020-04-02MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by May 4, 2020, which updates the court on the three documents referred for review to another agency and, if necessary, proposes a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 04/02/2020. (lcapm2) (Entered: 04/02/2020)
2020-04-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/4/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 04/03/2020)
2020-05-0413Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 05/04/2020)
2020-05-04MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by June 3, 2020, which updates the court on the three documents referred for review to another agency and, if necessary, proposes a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 05/04/2020. (lcapm2) (Entered: 05/04/2020)
2020-05-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/3/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 05/05/2020)
2020-06-0314Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 06/03/2020)
2020-06-04MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by July 8, 2020, which updates the court on the three documents referred for review to another agency and, if necessary, proposes a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 06/04/2020. (lcapm2) (Entered: 06/04/2020)
2020-06-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/8/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 06/04/2020)
2020-07-0815Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 07/08/2020)
2020-07-08MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by August 10, 2020, which updates the court on the status of Defendant's final response and proposes a schedule for any further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 07/08/2020. (lcapm2) (Entered: 07/08/2020)
2020-07-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/10/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 07/09/2020)
2020-08-1016STIPULATION of Dismissal Joint by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. (Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 08/10/2020)
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