Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv00294
Date Filed2022-02-04
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Christopher R. Cooper
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning emails from the HHS biosecurity board, known as the Ferrets Committee regarding gain-of-function research. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but 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 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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

2022-02-041COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9022944) 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 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-042LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-04Case Assigned to Judge Christopher R. Cooper. (znmg) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-103SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 02/10/2022)
2022-02-234RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/11/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/13/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-02-235RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 02/22/22. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-02-236RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 2/14/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-03-087NOTICE of Appearance by Stephen DeGenaro on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 03/08/2022)
2022-03-088Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond to the Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 03/08/2022)
2022-03-09MINUTE ORDER: The Court grants the 8 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Respond to the Complaint. Defendant shall file an answer or otherwise respond to the complaint on or before April 13, 2022. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 3/9/2022. (lccrc3) (Entered: 03/09/2022)
2022-04-139ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 04/13/2022)
2022-04-1310STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 04/13/2022)
2022-04-14MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 10 Defendant's Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a Joint Status Report on or before June 17, 2022. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 4/14/2022. (lccrc3) (Entered: 04/14/2022)
2022-06-1711Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 06/17/2022)
2022-06-17MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 11 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before September 19, 2022. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 6/17/2022. (lccrc3) (Entered: 06/17/2022)
2022-09-1612Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 09/16/2022)
2022-09-19MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 12 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before November 16, 2022. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 09/19/2022. (lccrc3) (Entered: 09/19/2022)
2022-11-1613STATUS REPORT (Plaintiff's Status Report) by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 11/16/2022)
2022-11-22MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 13 Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before January 16, 2023. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 11/22/2022. (lccrc3) (Entered: 11/22/2022)
2023-01-1314Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 01/13/2023)
2023-01-17MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 14 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before March 17, 2023. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 01/17/2023. (lccrc3) (Entered: 01/17/2023)
2023-03-1715Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 03/17/2023)
2023-03-21MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 15 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before May 16, 2023. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 03/21/2023. (lccrc3) (Entered: 03/21/2023)
2023-05-1616Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Venguswamy, Kartik) (Entered: 05/16/2023)
2023-05-25MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 16 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before August 16, 2023. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 05/25/2023. (lccrc3) (Entered: 05/25/2023)
2023-08-1617Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/16/2023)
2023-08-16MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 17 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before October 16, 2023. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 8/16/2023. (lccrc3) (Entered: 08/16/2023)
2023-10-1618Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 10/16/2023)
2023-10-18MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 18 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further Joint Status Report on or before December 15, 2023. The status report should specify how many pages from the initial searches (i.e., the 501 pages located in response to FOIA request 2021-01666 and the 95 pages located in response to FOIA request 2021-01667) remain out for consultation and how many pages from the NIH search remain out for consultation. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 10/18/2023. (lccrc3) (Entered: 10/18/2023)
2023-12-1519Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 12/15/2023)
2023-12-18MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 19 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further joint status report by February 14, 2024. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 12/18/2023. (lccrc3) (Entered: 12/18/2023)
2024-02-1420Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/14/2024)
2024-02-14MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 20 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further joint status report by April 15, 2024. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 2/14/2024. (lccrc3) (Entered: 02/14/2024)
2024-04-1521Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 04/15/2024)
2024-04-17MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 21 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further joint status report by June 14, 2024. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 4/17/2024. (lccrc3) (Entered: 04/17/2024)
2024-06-1422Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 06/14/2024)
2024-06-17MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 22 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby directed to file a further joint status report by August 14, 2024. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 6/17/2024. (lccrc3) (Entered: 06/17/2024)
2024-08-1423Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 08/14/2024)
2024-08-14MINUTE ORDER: In light of the 23 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file a further joint status report by October 10, 2024. If disputes persist, the report shall include a proposed briefing schedule for summary judgment. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 8/14/24. (lccrc3) (Entered: 08/14/2024)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar