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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv02616
Date Filed2020-09-16
Date Closed2022-05-03
JudgeJudge Timothy J. Kelly
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning a deceased individual named Bella Dodd. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and invoked unusual circumstances. 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

2020-09-161COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-7601770) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons for US Attorney for DC, # 3 Summons for US Attorney General, # 4 Summons for US Department of Justice)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 09/16/2020)
2020-09-162LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 09/16/2020)
2020-09-18Case Assigned to Judge Timothy J. Kelly and Judge Timothy J. Kelly. (zmd) (Entered: 09/18/2020)
2020-09-183SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent) (zmd) (Entered: 09/18/2020)
2020-09-284NOTICE of Appearance by Meredith Leigh Di Liberto on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 09/28/2020)
2020-10-055RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 10/5/2020. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 11/4/2020. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 10/05/2020)
2020-10-056RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 09/28/20. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 10/05/2020)
2020-10-057RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 9/28/2020 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 10/05/2020)
2020-11-048NOTICE of Appearance by Paul A. Mussenden on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 11/04/2020)
2020-11-049ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 11/04/2020)
2020-11-06MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and file a joint proposed schedule for briefing or disclosure by November 19, 2020. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 11/6/2020. (lctjk1) (Entered: 11/06/2020)
2020-11-1910Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 11/19/2020)
2020-11-20MINUTE ORDER: In light of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report by February 4, 2021. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 11/20/2020. (lctjk1) (Entered: 11/20/2020)
2021-01-2011Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 01/20/2021)
2021-01-21MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report by March 5, 2021, and every sixty days thereafter, until the Court orders otherwise. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 1/21/2021. (lctjk1) (Entered: 01/21/2021)
2021-02-1512NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Sian Jones on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Paul Mussenden (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 02/15/2021)
2021-03-0513Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/05/2021)
2021-05-0414Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 05/04/2021)
2021-07-0215Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 07/02/2021)
2021-09-0216Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 09/02/2021)
2021-11-0117Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 11/01/2021)
2021-12-3018Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 12/30/2021)
2022-03-0119Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/01/2022)
2022-05-0320STIPULATION of Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 05/03/2022)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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