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Case TitleUS Right to Know v. United States Department of State
DistrictNorthern District of California
CityOakland
Case Number4:2022cv04359
Date Filed2022-07-28
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeMagistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore
PlaintiffUS Right to Know a California Non-Profit Corporation
Case DescriptionU.S. Right to Know submitted two FOIA requests to the Department of State. The first request asked for records concerning the agency's report entitled "Face Sheet: Activity at the Wuhan Institute of Virology" and a press statement titled "Ensuring a transparent, thorough investigation of COVID-19's origins. The second request asked for records concerning a list of keywords related to group of agency employees. USRTK also requested a fee waiver for both requests. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests. After hearing nothing further from the agency as to either request, USRTK filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUnited States Department of State
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

2022-07-281COMPLAINT against United States Department of State ( Filing fee $ 402, receipt number ACANDC-17391570.). Filed byUS Right to Know. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Civil Cover Sheet, # 4 Corporate Disclosure Statement)(Doughty, Rachel) (Filed on 7/28/2022) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-07-282Proposed Summons. (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons)(Doughty, Rachel) (Filed on 7/28/2022) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-07-283Case assigned to Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. Counsel for plaintiff or the removing party is responsible for serving the Complaint or Notice of Removal, Summons and the assigned judge's standing orders and all other new case documents upon the opposing parties. For information, visit E-Filing A New Civil Case at http://cand.uscourts.gov/ecf/caseopening. Standing orders can be downloaded from the court's web page at www.cand.uscourts.gov/judges. Upon receipt, the summons will be issued and returned electronically. A scheduling order will be sent by Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) within two business days. Consent/Declination due by 8/11/2022. (jlg, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 7/28/2022) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-07-284Initial Case Management Scheduling Order with ADR Deadlines: Case Management Statement due by 10/25/2022. Initial Case Management Conference set for 11/1/2022 01:30 PM. (mcl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 7/28/2022) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-07-285Summons Issued as to United States Department of State, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (mcl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 7/28/2022) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-07-28Electronic filing error . This filing will not be processed by the clerks office.Please re-file the document as a separate entry on the docket. Re:[1-4] Corporate Disclosure State ment, filed by US Right to Know. (mcl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 7/28/2022) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-07-286Corporate Disclosure Statement by US Right to Know (Doughty, Rachel) (Filed on 7/28/2022) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-08-107CONSENT/DECLINATION to Proceed Before a US Magistrate Judge by US Right to Know.. (Doughty, Rachel) (Filed on 8/10/2022) (Entered: 08/10/2022)
2022-09-098SUMMONS Returned Executed (FOIA) by US Right to Know. United States Department of State served on 8/15/2022, answer due 10/14/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons)(Doughty, Rachel) (Filed on 9/9/2022) Modified on 9/9/2022 (mcl, COURT STAFF). (Entered: 09/09/2022)
2022-09-129ANSWER to Complaint byUnited States Department of State. (Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 9/12/2022) (Entered: 09/12/2022)
2022-09-1310CLERK'S NOTICE Re: Consent or Declination: Defendant shall file a consent or declination to proceed before a magistrate judge. Note that any party is free to withhold consent to proceed before a magistrate judge without adverse substantive consequences. The forms are available at: http://cand.uscourts.gov/civilforms. Consent/Declination due by 9/27/2022. (wft, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 9/13/2022) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
2022-09-1311CONSENT/DECLINATION to Proceed Before a US Magistrate Judge by United States Department of State.. (Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 9/13/2022) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
2022-09-1512MOTION for leave to appear in Pro Hac Vice ( Filing fee $ 317, receipt number ACANDC-17538137.) filed by US Right to Know. (Snyder, Daniel) (Filed on 9/15/2022) (Entered: 09/15/2022)
2022-09-1513Order by Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore granting 12 Motion for Pro Hac Vice as to Daniel Snyder. (wft, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 9/15/2022) (Entered: 09/15/2022)
2022-10-0614ADR Certification (ADR L.R. 3-5 b) of discussion of ADR options (Bucey, Christian) (Filed on 10/6/2022) (Entered: 10/06/2022)
2022-10-2515STIPULATION WITH PROPOSED ORDER to Continue Initial Case Management Conference and Exempt Parties from Rule 26 Requirements filed by United States Department of State. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Savith Iyengar)(Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 10/25/2022) (Entered: 10/25/2022)
2022-10-2616Order by Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore granting 15 Stipulation to Continue Initial Case Management Conference and Exempt Parties from Rule 26 Requirements. Joint Case Management Statement due by 12/6/2022. Initial Case Management Conference set for 12/13/2022 01:30 PM in Oakland, this proceeding will be held via a Zoom webinar. Webinar Access: All counsel, members of the public, and media may access the webinar information at https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/kaw General Order 58. Persons granted access to court proceedings held by telephone or videoconference are reminded that photographing, recording, and rebroadcasting of court procee dings, including screenshots or other visual copying of a hearing, is absolutely prohibited. Zoom guidance and setup: https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/zoom/ . (wft, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/26/2022) (Entered: 10/26/2022)
2022-11-2117MOTION to Substitute Attorney, [PROPOSED] Order filed by US Right to Know. (Snyder, Daniel) (Filed on 11/21/2022) Modified on 11/21/2022 (mcl, COURT STAFF). (Entered: 11/21/2022)
2022-12-0618JOINT CASE MANAGEMENT STATEMENT filed by United States Department of State. (Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 12/6/2022) (Entered: 12/06/2022)
2022-12-1319Minute Entry for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore: Initial case management conference held via Zoom on 12/13/2022. Updated joint case management statement due by 1/24/2023. Further case management conference set for 1/31/2023 01:30 PM in Oakland, this proceeding will be held via a Zoom webinar. Webinar Access: All counsel, members of the public, and media may access the webinar information at https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/kaw General Order 58. Persons granted access to court proceedings held by telephone or videoconference are reminded that photographing, recording, and rebroadcasting of court proceedings, including screenshots or other visual copying of a hearing, is absolutely prohibited. Zoom guidance and setup: https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/zoom/ Total Time in Court: 16 minu tes. Recorded via Zoom: 1:31pm - 1:47pm. (wft, COURT STAFF) (Date Filed: 12/13/2022) (Entered: 12/13/2022)
2023-01-2420STIPULATION WITH PROPOSED ORDER Regarding Case Management and FOIA Record Production filed by United States Department of State. (Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 1/24/2023) (Entered: 01/24/2023)
2023-01-2721Order by Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore granting 20 Stipulation Vacating Case Management Conference and FOIA Record Production. (wft, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/27/2023) (Entered: 01/27/2023)
2023-06-0522NOTICE of Substitution of Counsel by Lily Anne Rivo for Christian R. Bucey within Greenfire Law, PC (Rivo, Lily) (Filed on 6/5/2023) (Entered: 06/05/2023)
2023-07-2423NOTICE by US Right to Know of Unavailability of Counsel (Snyder, Daniel) (Filed on 7/24/2023) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-08-1524JOINT STATUS REPORT ORDER re 21 Signed by Judge Kandis A. Westmore on 8/15/2023. Status Report due by 9/1/2023, and every 180 days thereafter. (wft, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 8/15/2023) (Entered: 08/15/2023)
2023-08-3125STATUS REPORT (Joint) by United States Department of State. (Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 8/31/2023) (Entered: 08/31/2023)
2024-02-2726STATUS REPORT (Joint) by United States Department of State. (Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 2/27/2024) (Entered: 02/27/2024)
2024-08-0627STATUS REPORT (Joint) by United States Department of State. (Iyengar, Savith) (Filed on 8/6/2024) (Entered: 08/06/2024)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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