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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv02568
Date Filed2019-08-26
Date Closed2021-03-04
JudgeJudge Ketanji Brown Jackson
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Special Counsel's Office at the Department of Justice for records concerning the FBI's interview with Felix Sater, his cooperation with the agency, and communications between Sater and the Special Counsel's Office. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and invoked a 10-day extension. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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

2019-08-261COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6341226) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, # 3 Summons U.S. Attorney General, # 4 Summons U.S. Department of Justice)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 08/26/2019)
2019-08-262LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 08/26/2019)
2019-08-28Case Assigned to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. (zeg) (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-08-283SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zeg) (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-08-284GENERAL ORDER AND GUIDELINES APPLICABLE TO FOIA CASES ASSIGNED TO 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 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 8/28/2019. (lckbj1) (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-09-095RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 9/9/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 10/9/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 9/9/2019., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 9/9/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 09/09/2019)
2019-09-306NOTICE of Appearance by Eric William Payne Lee on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Lee, Eric) (Entered: 09/30/2019)
2019-10-077NOTICE of Appearance by Michael Joseph Gerardi on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 10/07/2019)
2019-10-078NOTICE by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE re 1 Complaint, (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 10/07/2019)
2019-10-099ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 10/09/2019)
2019-10-09MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall review this Court's 4 General Order and Guidelines Applicable to FOIA Cases, and promptly confer and file a joint proposed schedule for disclosure or briefing motions for summary judgment, on or before 10/23/2019. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 10/9/2019. (jag) (Entered: 10/09/2019)
2019-10-1810Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Initial Status Report by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 10/18/2019)
2019-10-21MINUTE ORDER granting, for good cause shown, 10 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Initial Status Report. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties' proposed schedule for briefing or disclosure shall be filed on or before 10/30/2019. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 10/21/2019. (jag) (Entered: 10/21/2019)
2019-10-3011Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 10/30/2019)
2019-11-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 1/10/2020, 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 11/15/2019. (jag) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2020-01-1012Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 01/10/2020)
2020-01-17MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 4/15/2020, 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 1/17/2020. (jag) (Entered: 01/17/2020)
2020-04-1513Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Seidel Declaration)(Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 04/15/2020)
2020-04-16MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 6/10/2020, 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 4/16/2020. (jag) (Entered: 04/16/2020)
2020-06-1014Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 06/10/2020)
2020-06-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 8/5/2020, 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 6/11/2020. (jag) (Entered: 06/11/2020)
2020-08-0615Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 08/06/2020)
2020-08-06MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 9/9/2020, 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 08/06/2020. (lckbj3, ) (Entered: 08/06/2020)
2020-09-0916Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 09/09/2020)
2020-09-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 9/29/2020, 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 9/15/2020. (jag) (Entered: 09/15/2020)
2020-09-2917Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-10-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 11/12/2020, 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 10/15/2020. (jag) (Entered: 10/15/2020)
2020-11-05MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 11/12/2020, 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 11/5/2020. (jag) (Entered: 11/05/2020)
2020-11-1218Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Lee, Eric) (Entered: 11/12/2020)
2020-11-16MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 18 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 12/18/2020, 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 11/16/2020. (jag) (Entered: 11/16/2020)
2020-12-1819Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 12/18/2020)
2020-12-18MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 19 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 2/15/2021, 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 12/18/2020. (jag) (Entered: 12/18/2020)
2021-02-1120Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gerardi, Michael) (Entered: 02/11/2021)
2021-02-12MINUTE ORDER. In light of the representations in the parties' 20 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 3/4/2021, 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 2/12/2021. (jag) (Entered: 02/12/2021)
2021-03-0421NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Lee, Eric) (Entered: 03/04/2021)
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