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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv02577
Date Filed2019-08-27
Date Closed2020-07-10
JudgeJudge Royce C. Lamberth
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted three FOIA requests to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning communications between Secretary Alex Azar and a number of drug companies. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests and told American Oversight that the agency could not search for communications with the various companies without an identifying domain name. American Oversight responded by telling the agency that while identifying domain names was not necessary, it provided an attachment that had the domain names for most of the companies. American Oversight also told the agency that its searches should go beyond just the domain names. After hearing nothing further from the agency, American Oversight filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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
Complaint attachment 11
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text
2019-08-271COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6343678) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Civil Cover Sheet, # 9 Summons as to USAO, # 10 Summons as to AG, # 11 Summons as to HHS)(Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 08/27/2019)
2019-08-272LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 08/27/2019)
2019-08-28Case assigned to Judge Royce C. Lamberth. (zmc) (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-08-283SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Main Document 3 replaced on 8/29/2019) (zmc). (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-09-104NOTICE of Appearance by John Moustakas on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 09/10/2019)
2019-09-175RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/28/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/27/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 9/3/19., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 9/3/2019 (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 09/17/2019)
2019-09-306Consent MOTION for Leave to File Answer by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Answer)(Moustakas, John) (Entered: 09/30/2019)
2019-09-30MINUTE ORDER GRANTING 6 Consent Motion for Leave to File Answer. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 09/30/2019. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 09/30/2019)
2019-09-307ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(jf) (Entered: 10/03/2019)
2019-10-288ORDER that the government shall produce a Vaughn index with a supporting dispositive motion within thirty days. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 10/28/2019. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 10/28/2019)
2019-11-089Unopposed MOTION to Vacate 8 Order re: DIspositive Motion and Vaughn Index by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 11/08/2019)
2019-12-0610Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 12/06/2019)
2019-12-1011ERRATA by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 10 Status Report filed by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Attachments: # 1 Joint Status Report)(Moustakas, John) (Entered: 12/10/2019)
2019-12-1212ORDER granting nunc pro tunc 9 unopposed Motion to Vacate Order Requiring Submission of Dispositive Motion and Vaughn Index. Based on the Joint Status Report of 12/06/2019, another report shall be filed no later than 01/13/2020. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 12/12/2019. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 12/12/2019)
2019-12-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/13/2020 (lsj) (Entered: 12/13/2019)
2020-01-1313Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 01/13/2020)
2020-01-14MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall file a further Joint Status Report no later than 02/12/2020. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 01/13/2020. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 01/14/2020)
2020-02-1214Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 02/12/2020)
2020-02-13MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit a further Joint Status Report no later than 03/13/2020. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 02/13/2020. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 02/13/2020)
2020-03-1315Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 03/13/2020)
2020-04-1316Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 04/13/2020)
2020-04-14MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit a further Joint Status Report no later than 05/13/2020. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 04/14/2020. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 04/14/2020)
2020-05-1317Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 05/13/2020)
2020-05-13MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit a further Joint Status Report no later than 06/12/2020. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 05/13/2020. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 05/13/2020)
2020-06-1218Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 06/12/2020)
2020-06-15MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall file a further Joint Status Report no later than 07/12/2020. Signed by Judge Royce C. Lamberth on 06/15/2020. (lcrcl3) (Entered: 06/15/2020)
2020-07-1019STIPULATION of Dismissal Without Prejudice by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Monahan, Christine) (Entered: 07/10/2020)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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