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Case TitleUS RIGHT TO KNOW v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv01768
Date Filed2023-06-18
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amy Berman Jackson
PlaintiffUS RIGHT TO KNOW
Case DescriptionU.S. Right to Know submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and divided the request into three separate requests. After hearing nothing further from the agency, USTRK filed suit, challenging the agency's lack of response to the first request.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Attorney's fees, Failure to respond within statutory time limit

DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
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

2023-06-181COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-10149092) filed by US RIGHT TO KNOW. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A (FOIA Request), # 2 Exhibit B (Response to FOIA request), # 3 Summons Proposed to FBI, USAO, and Attorney General, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet)(Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 06/18/2023)
2023-06-182NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by US RIGHT TO KNOW. Case related to Case No. 1:23-cv-1769. (Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 06/18/2023)
2023-06-183ERRATA Correcting Civil Cover Sheet by US RIGHT TO KNOW re 1 Complaint,. (Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 06/18/2023)
2023-06-21Case Assigned to Judge Amy Berman Jackson. (zsl) (Entered: 06/21/2023)
2023-06-234SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(mg) (Entered: 06/23/2023)
2023-07-245NOTICE of Appearance by Douglas C. Dreier on behalf of FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-246ANSWER to Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.(Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-247MOTION to Consolidate Cases by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-26MINUTE ORDER. By July 28, 2023, plaintiff must inform the Court of the grounds for its objections to defendant's motions to consolidate Case No. 23-cv-1768 and Case No. 23-cv-1769. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 07/26/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 07/26/2023)
2023-07-278RESPONSE re 7 MOTION to Consolidate Cases filed by US RIGHT TO KNOW. (Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 07/27/2023)
2023-07-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of plaintiff's Notice of Related Case in Case No. 23-cv-1768 at Dkt. 2 and in Case No. 23-cv-1769 at Dkt. 2, defendant's motions to consolidate, and plaintiff's oppositions, the Court, which may do so, will consolidate the cases in its discretion. Therefore, it is ORDERED that these actions are CONSOLIDATED and the (7) Motion to Consolidate Cases in Case No. 23-cv-1768 and (6) Motion to Consolidate Cases in Case No. 23-cv-1769 are GRANTED. All filings must be made on the docket in Case No. 23-cv-1768, and it is ORDERED that the Clerk of Court is directed to close Case No. 23-cv-1769. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 07/28/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 07/28/2023)
2023-07-28Cases Consolidated: The following cases have been consolidated with this case: 23cv1769 pursuant to 7/28/2023 Minute Order on Motion to Consolidate Cases. From this date forward, all pleadings shall be filed ONLY in this case. Parties are advised NOT to elect the SPREAD TEXT option when filing in ECF, as this will result in repetitive docketing. (znmw) (Entered: 07/31/2023)
2023-08-01MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of Local Civil Rule 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure appear to be inapplicable. Defendant shall file a dispositive motion or, in the alternative, a report setting forth the schedule for the completion of its production of documents to plaintiff, on or before August 29, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 8/1/23. (DMK) (Entered: 08/01/2023)
2023-08-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant shall file a dispositive motion or, in the alternative, a report setting forth the schedule for the completion of its production of documents to plaintiff by 8/29/2023. (jth) (Entered: 08/01/2023)
2023-08-299Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 08/29/2023)
2023-08-31MINUTE ORDER. The parties are ORDERED to each file a submission by September 8, 2023, no longer than three (3) pages excluding the caption, explaining why the current schedule is reasonable or unreasonable. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 08/31/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 08/31/2023)
2023-09-0810RESPONSE TO ORDER OF THE COURT re Order,, Set Deadlines, filed by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 09/08/2023)
2023-09-0811RESPONSE TO ORDER OF THE COURT re Order,, Set Deadlines, filed by US RIGHT TO KNOW. Associated Cases: 1:23-cv-01768-ABJ, 1:23-cv-01769-ABJ(Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 09/08/2023)
2023-09-11NOTICE OF ERROR re 11 Response to Order of the Court; emailed to MatthewDHardin@gmail.com, cc'd 8 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Please note the following for future filings; do not refile document , 2. Case is consolidated; do not file documents in member case(s); do not select SPREAD TEXT option (znmw, ) (Entered: 09/11/2023)
2023-09-12MINUTE ORDER. After consideration of the August 29, 2023 Joint Status Report 9 and the submissions of the parties in response to the Court's August 31, 2023 Minute Order 10 11 , the Court is persuaded that the defendant is working diligently to make the requested materials promptly available, and that the pace of production to date has been reasonable given the breadth, complexity, and nature of the request, the number of potential custodians, and the involvement of multiple components within the agency. The defendant is ordered to file a status report by October 23, 2023, updating the Court on the volume of potentially responsive records and proposing a plan for their review and production on a rolling basis. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 09/12/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 09/12/2023)
2023-10-2312STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 10/23/2023)
2023-10-25MINUTE ORDER. In light of the defendant's 12 status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the defendant must file another status report detailing its progress by February 2, 2024. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 10/25/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 10/25/2023)
2024-02-0213STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 02/02/2024)
2024-02-02MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 13 status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the defendant must file another status report detailing its progress by May 31, 2024. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 2/2/2024. (lcabj2) (Entered: 02/02/2024)
2024-05-3114STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 05/31/2024)
2024-05-31MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 14 status report, it is hereby ORDERED that defendant must file another status report by October 4, 2024. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 5/31/2024. (lcabj2) (Entered: 05/31/2024)
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