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Case TitleAMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv02991
Date Filed2022-10-04
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffAMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionAmerica First Legal submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning contacts between the agency and Facebook between October and November 2020 related to Hunter Biden's laptop and Russian dis- or misinformation. AFL also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and denied AFL's request for expedited processing and put it in the general category for fee purposes. The agency then told AFL that it was closing the request because it did not adequate describe the records sought. AFL then filed suit.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees, Adequacy - Search, Expedited processing, Public Interest Fee Waiver

DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2022-10-041COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9574303) filed by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit Exhibit D, # 5 Civil Cover Sheet Civil Cover Sheet, # 6 Summons Summons FBI, # 7 Summons Summons DOJ, # 8 Summons Summons USADC)(Ding, Michael) (Entered: 10/04/2022)
2022-10-042LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 10/04/2022)
2022-10-04NOTICE OF ERROR re 2 LCvR 26.1 Certificate of Disclosure - Corporate Affiliations/Financial Interests; emailed to michael.ding@aflegal.org, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. No signature. Please file the signed document using the event Errata. All filings must have an original signature or '/s/ Attorney Name' to represent an electronic signature of the filer., 2. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (znmg, ) (Entered: 10/04/2022)
2022-10-04Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (znmg) (Entered: 10/04/2022)
2022-10-043SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmg) (Entered: 10/04/2022)
2022-10-044ERRATA by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION re Notice of QC- New Case,, 2 LCvR 26.1 Certificate of Disclosure - Corporate Affiliations/Financial Interests. (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 10/04/2022)
2022-11-045RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 10/11/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Supplement)(Ding, Michael) (Entered: 11/04/2022)
2022-11-046RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION served on 10/11/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Supplement)(Ding, Michael) (Entered: 11/04/2022)
2022-12-057RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 11/28/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 12/28/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Supplement)(Ding, Michael) (Entered: 12/05/2022)
2022-12-218MOTION to Amend/Correct 1 Complaint, by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(Ding, Michael) (Entered: 12/21/2022)
2022-12-239RESPONSE re 8 MOTION to Amend/Correct 1 Complaint, filed by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 12/23/2022)
2022-12-30MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 8 Motion to Amend Complaint and 9 Response to Motion, the Court hereby grants 8 . Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 12/30/2022. (lcsr) (Entered: 12/30/2022)
2022-12-3010AMENDED COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE filed by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION.(zjm) (Entered: 01/06/2023)
2023-01-2011Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 01/20/2023)
2023-01-2012ANSWER to 10 Amended Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 01/20/2023)
2023-01-27MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of Defendant's 11 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time and 12 Answer, 11 is denied as moot. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 1/27/2023. (lcsr) (Entered: 01/27/2023)
2023-01-27MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues no later than March 6, 2023. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 1/27/2023. (lcsr) (Entered: 01/27/2023)
2023-01-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/6/2023. (tb) (Entered: 01/30/2023)
2023-03-0613Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 03/06/2023)
2023-03-07MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report 13 , the court hereby ORDERS the parties to file a further joint status report no later than May 5, 2023. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 3/7/23. (lcsr) (Entered: 03/07/2023)
2023-03-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/5/2023. (tb) (Entered: 03/08/2023)
2023-05-0514Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 05/05/2023)
2023-05-16MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report 14 , the court hereby ORDERS the parties to file a further joint status report no later than June 6, 2023. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 5/16/23. (lcsr) (Entered: 05/16/2023)
2023-05-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/6/2023. (tb) (Entered: 05/22/2023)
2023-06-0615Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 06/06/2023)
2023-06-13MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report 15 , the court hereby ORDERS the parties to file a further joint status report no later than July 7, 2023. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 6/13/23. (lcsr) (Entered: 06/13/2023)
2023-07-0716Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 07/07/2023)
2023-07-10MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the Joint Status Report 16 , the parties shall file another Joint Status Report by August 8, 2023, and every 30 days thereafter, advising the court on the status of the case. To the extent that the parties propose a change in deadlines or other court action, the Report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/10/23. (lcsr) (Entered: 07/10/2023)
2023-07-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 8/8/2023, and every 30 days thereafter. (ztg) (Entered: 07/10/2023)
2023-08-0817Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 08/08/2023)
2023-08-09MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the Joint Status Report 17 , the parties shall file another Joint Status Report by October 20, 2023, and every 60 days thereafter, advising the court on the status of the case. To the extent that the parties propose a change in deadlines or other court action, the Report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 8/9/23. (lca) (Entered: 08/09/2023)
2023-08-09Set/Reset Deadline: Joint Status Report due by 10/20/2023, and every 60 days thereafter, advising the court on the status of the case. To the extent that the parties propose a change in deadlines or other court action, the Report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. (jth) (Entered: 08/10/2023)
2023-10-2018Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 10/20/2023)
2023-12-1919Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 12/19/2023)
2024-02-2020Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 02/20/2024)
2024-04-2221Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 04/22/2024)
2024-06-2122Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 06/21/2024)
2024-08-2023Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Coogle, Christine) (Entered: 08/20/2024)
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