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Case TitleEARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv01503
Date Filed2022-05-27
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
PlaintiffEARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL
Case DescriptionEarthrights International submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Interior for 2017 records discussing participation or implementation of the extractive industries transparency initiative. Earthrights also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency located the response to an earlier FOIA request that seemed to address the same issue and asked Earthrights if would accept that response. Earthrights indicated that would but after hearing nothing further from the agency Earthrights filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2022-05-271COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9267820) filed by EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Related Case Form)(Gutman, Jeffrey) (Attachment 1 replaced on 5/31/2022) (zjm). Modified on 5/31/2022 to replace fillable coversheet(zjm). (Entered: 05/27/2022)
2022-05-31NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to jgutman@law.gwu.edu, cc'd 0 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Blank or missing coversheet. Please use the cover sheet at https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/new-case-forms & file using the event Civil Cover Sheet., 2. Missing summonses-government. When naming a government agent or agency as a defendant, you must supply a summons for each defendant & two additional summonses for the U.S. Attorney & U.S. Attorney General. Please submit using the event Request for Summons to Issue., 3. Related Case form filed as attachment, filing must have an original signature or '/s/ Attorney Name' to represent an electronic signature, file as separate entry using the event Notice of Related Case, 4. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (zjm, ) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-05-312CIVIL COVER SHEET by EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL re 1 Complaint, filed by EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL. Related document: 1 Complaint, filed by EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL.(Gutman, Jeffrey) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-05-313REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE re 1 Complaint, filed by EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL. Related document: 1 Complaint, filed by EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL. (Attachments: # 1 Summons 2nd summons, # 2 Summons 3rd summons)(Gutman, Jeffrey) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-05-31Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (zsb) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-05-314NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL. Case related to Case No. 22-1500. (Gutman, Jeffrey) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-06-015SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zjm) (Entered: 06/01/2022)
2022-06-016NOTICE of Appearance by Michelle C. Harrison on behalf of EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL (Harrison, Michelle) (Entered: 06/01/2022)
2022-06-027ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 6/2/2022. (DM) (Entered: 06/02/2022)
2022-06-03NOTICE OF ERROR re 3 Request for Summons to Issue; emailed to jgutman@law.gwu.edu, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Missing summonses-government. When naming a government agent or agency as a defendant, you must supply a summons for each defendant & two additional summonses for the U.S. Attorney & U.S. Attorney General. Please submit using the event Request for Summons to Issue. (zsb, ) (Entered: 06/03/2022)
2022-06-158RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR served on 6/13/2022 (Gutman, Jeffrey) (Entered: 06/15/2022)
2022-06-159RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 6/13/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 7/13/2022. (Gutman, Jeffrey) (Entered: 06/15/2022)
2022-06-1510RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 06/13/2022. (Gutman, Jeffrey) (Entered: 06/15/2022)
2022-07-0511NOTICE of Appearance by Thomas Duffey on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 07/05/2022)
2022-07-0612MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, with proposed order by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 07/06/2022)
2022-07-12MINUTE ORDER: For the reasons stated in the Court's July 11, 2022 Minute Order in EarthRights Intl v. U.S. Dep't of Treasury , 22-cv-1500, Defendant's 12 Motion to Extend Defendant's Time to Answer or Otherwise Respond to the Complaint is reluctantly GRANTED . Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the 1 Complaint on or before August 10, 2022 . Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on July 12, 2022. (lcckk1) (Entered: 07/12/2022)
2022-07-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the 1 Complaint on or before 8/10/2022. (dot) (Entered: 07/12/2022)
2022-08-1013ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.(Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 08/10/2022)
2022-08-23Cases Consolidated. Cases 22-1503 have been consolidated with case 22-1500, pursuant to an Order entered 08/23/2022. From this date forward, all pleadings shall be filed ONLY in the lead/earlier case, Civil Action No. 22-1500. The parties are advised NOT to elect the SPREAD TEXT option when filing in ECF, as this will result in repetitive docketing (zjm) (Entered: 08/24/2022)
2023-09-1814ENTERED IN ERROR.....Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Duffey, Thomas) Modified on 9/19/2023 at request of counsel (znmw). (Entered: 09/18/2023)
2023-12-1815Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 12/18/2023)
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