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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv00296
Date Filed2022-02-04
Date Closed2022-12-28
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning communications pertaining to a Sept. 21, 2021 letter from Sen. James Lankford to Secretary Xavier Becerra demanding an investigation of the University of Pittsburgh's program of fetal body parts procurement. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. Judicial Watch submitted a second FOIA request to the National Institute of Heath for records concerning communications to or from NIH Director Frances Collins pertaining to the Lankford letter. 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-9022950) 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 Tanya S. Chutkan. (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)
2022-02-234NOTICE of Appearance by Stephanie R. Johnson on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-02-235RETURN 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)
2022-02-236RETURN 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)
2022-02-237RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 2/22/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-03-148ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 03/14/2022)
2022-03-149STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 03/14/2022)
2022-04-28MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the Defendant's status report, it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file a joint report and proposed order by 5/16/22. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/28/22. (DJS) (Entered: 04/28/2022)
2022-05-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/16/2022. (tb) (Entered: 05/02/2022)
2022-05-1610Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 05/16/2022)
2022-06-0211ENTERED IN ERROR.....Interim STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) Modified to enter in error on 6/2/2022; refiled as Docket Entry 11 . (znmw). (Entered: 06/02/2022)
2022-06-0212Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 06/02/2022)
2022-07-1513Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 07/15/2022)
2022-08-08MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report by 9/13/22 and every 30 days thereafter. To the extent the parties propose a change to the status quo, their report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 8/8/22. (DJS) (Entered: 08/08/2022)
2022-08-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Report due by 9/13/2022. (tb) (Entered: 08/10/2022)
2022-09-1314Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
2022-10-1315Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 10/13/2022)
2022-11-1416Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 11/14/2022)
2022-12-1417Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 12/14/2022)
2022-12-2218STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 12/22/2022)
2022-12-27MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 18 Stipulation of Dismissal, it is hereby ordered that this action is dismissed, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 12/27/2022. (lcja) (Entered: 12/27/2022)
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