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Case TitlePROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv01489
Date Filed2022-05-26
Date Closed2024-08-05
JudgeJudge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
PlaintiffPROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST
Case DescriptionProtect the Public's Trust submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Homeland Security for records concerning waivers or impartiality determinations allows senior officials to ethics policies. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, PPT filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2022-05-261COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9265823) filed by PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Exhibit A -- FOIA 2021-HQFO-00991, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet Civil Cover Sheet, # 3 Summons Summons -- U.S. Attorney's Office, # 4 Summons Summons -- U.S. Attorney General, # 5 Summons Summons -- DHS GC)(Lawkowski, Gary) (Entered: 05/26/2022)
2022-05-26Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (zsb) (Entered: 05/26/2022)
2022-05-272SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 05/27/2022)
2022-05-313ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 05/31/2022. (DM) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-07-014NOTICE of Appearance by Erika Kirstie Oblea on behalf of All Defendants (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 07/01/2022)
2022-07-015ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.(Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 07/01/2022)
2022-07-056ORDER directing the parties to meet and confer and file a joint status report by SEPTEMBER 2, 2022. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 7/5/22. (lcckk3) (Entered: 07/05/2022)
2022-07-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/2/2022. (zalh) (Entered: 07/05/2022)
2022-08-257Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 08/25/2022)
2022-08-25MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the parties' 7 Joint Status Report. Defendant indicates that it has completed its search for records potentially responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request and has located 60 pages of potentially responsive records. Defendant has sent certain potentially responsive records to the White House and to "other DHS offices" for "further consultation." As to the records sent to other DHS offices, Defendant anticipates making a production of non-exempt responsive records by October 15, 2022. As to the records sent to the White House, Defendant indicates that it will be able to provide a further update to the Court in the next status report. As proposed by the parties, the Court ORDERS to the parties to file a further joint status report on or before OCTOBER 25, 2022, updating the Court on the status of Defendant's response to Plaintiff's FOIA request and, if appropriate, proposing a schedule for proceeding in the case. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 8/25/22. (lcckk3) (Entered: 08/25/2022)
2022-08-25Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/25/2022, updating the Court on the status of Defendant's response to Plaintiff's FOIA request and, if appropriate, proposing a schedule for proceeding in the case. (dot) (Entered: 08/26/2022)
2022-10-258Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 10/25/2022)
2022-10-26MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report. Defendant indicates that since the parties' last Joint Status Report, they produced 52 pages of record to Plaintiff, 4 of which were released in full and 48 were withheld in part under FOIA Exemptions. They have also identified an additional 27 pages as potentially responsive to Plaintiff's request; Defendant will commence review of these records and anticipates providing a second interim production before November 25, 2022. There are 8 pages pending consultations with particular offices or outside agencies. The Court ORDERS the parties to file a further joint status report on or before JANUARY 4, 2023 to update the Court on the status of Defendant's processing and production. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 10/26/22. (lcckk3) (Entered: 10/26/2022)
2022-10-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/4/2023 to update the Court on the status of Defendant's processing and production. (dot) (Entered: 10/26/2022)
2023-01-049Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 01/04/2023)
2023-01-05MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report. Defendant indicates that there remain eight pages pending consultations with an outside agency and is therefore unable to provide an expected timeline, though they plan to release any responsive, non-exempt pages as soon as practicable. Per the parties' request, the Court ORDERS the parties to file a further joint status report on or before MARCH 6, 2023 to update the Court on the status of the remaining pages sent out for consultation. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 1/5/23. (lcckk3) (Entered: 01/05/2023)
2023-01-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/6/2023, to update the Court on the status of the remaining pages sent out for consultation. (dot) (Entered: 01/06/2023)
2023-03-0610Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 03/06/2023)
2023-03-07MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the 10 Joint Status Report, which indicates that "[o]n January 10, 2023, DHS sent an interim production to Plaintiff with 13 pages of records. From the entire review of records, there remain 21 consultation pages with DHS components and outside agency equities. DHS will confer with these components and the outside agency and will endeavor to make additional releases and/or complete its production before the date of the next joint status report." Accordingly, and per the parties' suggestion, the Court ORDERS the parties to file another Joint Status Report by MAY 5, 2023 to provide an update to the Court on the status of those remaining pages sent for consultation. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 3/7/23. (lcckk3) (Entered: 03/07/2023)
2023-03-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/5/2023 to provide an update to the Court on the status of those remaining pages sent for consultation. (dot) (Entered: 03/08/2023)
2023-05-0511Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 05/05/2023)
2023-05-05MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the 11 Joint Status Report, which indicates that Defendant is continuing to confer with components and outside agencies regarding certain records. Accordingly, the parties propose filing another status report in approximately sixty days. The Court ORDERS the parties to file another Joint Status Report by JULY 5, 2023 to provide an update to the Court on the status of those remaining pages sent for consultation. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 5/5/23. (lcckk3) (Entered: 05/05/2023)
2023-05-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/5/2023 to provide an update to the Court on the status of those remaining pages sent for consultation. (dot) (Entered: 05/10/2023)
2023-07-0512Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 07/05/2023)
2023-07-05MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the 12 Joint Status Report, in which the parties indicate that Defendant "DHS sent an interim production to Plaintiff" in May and anticipates releasing additional pages later this week; they also indicate that "[t]here remain five consultation pages with DHS components and/or outside agency equities" and that "DHS continues to confer with these components and/or outside agencies." The Court ORDERS the parties to file a Joint Status Report on SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 and every thirty (30) days thereafter providing an update. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 7/5/23. (lcckk3) (Entered: 07/05/2023)
2023-07-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/5/2023 and every thirty (30) days thereafter providing an update. (dot) (Entered: 07/06/2023)
2023-07-1213NOTICE by PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST (Lawkowski, Gary) (Entered: 07/12/2023)
2023-07-1214LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST (Lawkowski, Gary) (Entered: 07/12/2023)
2023-09-0515Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 09/05/2023)
2023-10-0516Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 10/05/2023)
2023-11-0617Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2023-11-2918NOTICE of Appearance by Brenda A. Gonzalez Horowitz on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 11/29/2023)
2023-12-0519Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 12/05/2023)
2024-01-0520Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 01/05/2024)
2024-02-0521Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 02/05/2024)
2024-03-0522Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 03/05/2024)
2024-04-0523Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 04/05/2024)
2024-05-0624Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
2024-06-0525Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 06/05/2024)
2024-07-0326Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 07/03/2024)
2024-08-0127STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 08/01/2024)
2024-08-0528ORDER dismissing case with prejudice. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 8/5/2024. (lcckk3) (Entered: 08/05/2024)
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