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Case TitleDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv00130
Date Filed2022-01-19
Date Closed2024-08-05
JudgeJudge Timothy J. Kelly
PlaintiffDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionDemocracy Forward Foundation submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning communications pertaining to a January 13, 2021 statement issued by the President's Council on Science and Technology regrading the use of forensic science in criminal courts. DFF also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency indicated it was processing the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, DFF filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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
Complaint attachment 12
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2022-01-191COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number BDCDC-8989956) filed by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Exhibit, # 5 Exhibit, # 6 Exhibit, # 7 Exhibit, # 8 Exhibit, # 9 Civil Cover Sheet, # 10 Summons, # 11 Summons, # 12 Summons)(Morton, Jessica) (Entered: 01/19/2022)
2022-01-192LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION (Morton, Jessica) (Entered: 01/19/2022)
2022-01-20Case Assigned to Judge Timothy J. Kelly. (zsb) (Entered: 01/20/2022)
2022-01-203NOTICE of Appearance by Samara M Spence on behalf of DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION (Spence, Samara) (Entered: 01/20/2022)
2022-01-244SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znm) (Entered: 01/24/2022)
2022-01-315RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/28/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/27/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Morton, Jessica) (Entered: 01/31/2022)
2022-01-316RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 1/28/2022., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 1/28/2022. (See Docket Entry 5 to view document) (ztth) (Entered: 01/31/2022)
2022-02-287ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Saslaw, Alexandra) (Entered: 02/28/2022)
2022-03-01MINUTE 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 March 31, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 3/1/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 03/01/2022)
2022-03-318Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Saslaw, Alexandra) (Entered: 03/31/2022)
2022-04-01MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report by May 30, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 4/1/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 04/01/2022)
2022-05-279Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Saslaw, Alexandra) (Entered: 05/27/2022)
2022-06-01MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report by June 24, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 6/1/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 06/01/2022)
2022-06-2410Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Saslaw, Alexandra) (Entered: 06/24/2022)
2022-06-28MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report by July 25, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 6/28/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 06/28/2022)
2022-07-2511Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Saslaw, Alexandra) (Entered: 07/25/2022)
2022-07-26MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report by August 24, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 7/26/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 07/26/2022)
2022-08-2412Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Saslaw, Alexandra) (Entered: 08/24/2022)
2022-08-25MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report by September 23, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 8/25/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 08/25/2022)
2022-09-2313Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Saslaw, Alexandra) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-09-25MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report by October 24, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 9/25/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 09/25/2022)
2022-10-2414Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order Plaintiff's Proposed Order)(Morton, Jessica) (Entered: 10/24/2022)
2022-11-11MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED, that, if Defendant has not already done so, Defendant shall produce to Plaintiff, or convey to Plaintiff a decision to withhold, the "approximately 200 pages" it described in the 14 Joint Status Report, by November 18, 2022. It is further ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report by December 2, 2022. It is further ORDERED that in the joint status report, the parties shall each set forth a proposal for a schedule that would require Defendant to produce documents to Plaintiff, or convey to Plaintiff a decision to withhold documents from Plaintiff, at a specific rate. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 11/11/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 11/11/2022)
2022-11-2915NOTICE of Appearance by Christopher D. Edelman on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Edelman, Christopher) (Entered: 11/29/2022)
2022-11-2916Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Edelman, Christopher) (Entered: 11/29/2022)
2022-11-30MINUTE ORDER granting Defendant's 16 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time. Upon consideration of Defendant's 16 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time, it is hereby ORDERED that the Motion is GRANTED. The parties shall file, by December 16, 2022, a joint status report that conforms to the instructions in the Court's Minute Order of November 11, 2022. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 11/30/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 11/30/2022)
2022-12-1617Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Edelman, Christopher) (Entered: 12/16/2022)
2022-12-18MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by February 17, 2023, a further joint status report. It is further ORDERED that Defendant shall adhere to the production schedule described in the 17 Joint Status Report. If, for any reason, Defendant cannot meet its obligations under that schedule, it shall file a motion in this Court seeking relief from this Order and explaining its reasons. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 12/18/2022. (lctjk3) (Entered: 12/18/2022)
2023-02-1718Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Edelman, Christopher) (Entered: 02/17/2023)
2023-02-20MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 18 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by May 18, 2023, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 2/20/2023. (lctjk3) (Entered: 02/20/2023)
2023-05-0319NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. Attorney Samara M Spence terminated. (Spence, Samara) (Entered: 05/03/2023)
2023-05-1820Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Edelman, Christopher) (Entered: 05/18/2023)
2023-05-19MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 20 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by August 16, 2023, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 5/19/2023. (lctjk3) (Entered: 05/19/2023)
2023-06-1321NOTICE of Appearance by Samuel Rebo on behalf of All Defendants (Rebo, Samuel) (Entered: 06/13/2023)
2023-08-1622Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rebo, Samuel) (Entered: 08/16/2023)
2023-08-21MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 22 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by November 14, 2023, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 8/21/2023. (lctjk3) (Entered: 08/21/2023)
2023-11-1423Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rebo, Samuel) (Entered: 11/14/2023)
2023-11-16MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 23 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by February 14, 2024, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 11/16/2023. (lctjk3) (Entered: 11/16/2023)
2024-02-1424Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rebo, Samuel) (Entered: 02/14/2024)
2024-02-15MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 24 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by May 14, 2024, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 2/15/2024. (lctjk3) (Entered: 02/15/2024)
2024-03-2825Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rebo, Samuel) (Entered: 03/28/2024)
2024-03-29MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 25 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by June 26, 2024, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 3/29/2024. (lctjk3) (Entered: 03/29/2024)
2024-06-2626Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rebo, Samuel) (Entered: 06/26/2024)
2024-06-28MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 26 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by July 26, 2024, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 6/28/2024. (lctjk3) (Entered: 06/28/2024)
2024-07-1227NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Keri Lane Berman on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Substituting for attorney Samuel Rebo (Berman, Keri) (Entered: 07/12/2024)
2024-07-2628Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Berman, Keri) (Entered: 07/26/2024)
2024-07-30MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 28 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file, by September 10, 2024, a further joint status report. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Kelly on 7/30/2024. (lctjk3) (Entered: 07/30/2024)
2024-07-3029NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION (Morton, Jessica) (Entered: 07/30/2024)
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