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Case TitleANIMAL PARTISAN v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv01990
Date Filed2023-07-11
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Sparkle L. Sooknanan
PlaintiffANIMAL PARTISAN
Case DescriptionAnimal Partisan submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning two conferences NAMI's 2020 and 2022 Animal Care and Handling Conferences. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but told Animal Partisan that it could find no responsive records. Animal Partisan filed another FOIA request for the records. This time the FBI denied disclosure under Exemption 7(A) (interference with ongoing investigation or proceeding). Animal Partisan filed an administrative appeal of the denial. The Office of Information Policy upheld the FBI's denial and Animal Partisan filed suit.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Attorney's fees, Adequacy - Search

DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
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
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
Complaint attachment 11
Complaint attachment 12
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2023-07-111COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-10196338) filed by ANIMAL PARTISAN. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons FBI, # 3 Summons USAO-DC, # 4 Summons USAG, # 5 Exhibit 1, # 6 Exhibit 2, # 7 Exhibit 3, # 8 Exhibit 4, # 9 Exhibit 5, # 10 Exhibit 6, # 11 Exhibit 7, # 12 Exhibit 8)(Sorenson, C.) (Entered: 07/11/2023)
2023-07-12Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (zcb) (Entered: 07/12/2023)
2023-07-122SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zcb) (Entered: 07/12/2023)
2023-07-173ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 7/17/23. (DM) (Entered: 07/17/2023)
2023-08-144RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION served on 7/19/2023, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 7/19/2023., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/19/2023. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/18/2023.) (Sorenson, C.) (Entered: 08/14/2023)
2023-08-185ANSWER to Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.(Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 08/18/2023)
2023-08-226ORDER directing parties to file joint status report on or before September 15, 2023 . Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on August 22, 2023. (lcsk) (Entered: 08/22/2023)
2023-08-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/15/2023. (dot) (Entered: 08/24/2023)
2023-09-157Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 09/15/2023)
2023-09-18MINUTE ORDER: In consideration of the parties' 7 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file another joint status report on or before November 27, 2023 and, if necessary, another joint status report every ninety days thereafter. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on September 18, 2023. (lcckk1) (Entered: 09/18/2023)
2023-09-18Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/27/2023 and, if necessary, another joint status report every ninety days thereafter. (dot) (Entered: 09/18/2023)
2023-11-278Joint STATUS REPORT by ANIMAL PARTISAN. (Sorenson, C.) (Entered: 11/27/2023)
2024-02-129Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 02/12/2024)
2024-03-0810Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 03/08/2024)
2024-04-0911Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 04/09/2024)
2024-05-1012Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 05/10/2024)
2024-05-10MINUTE ORDER: The Court is in receipt of the parties' 12 Joint Status Report. Therein, the parties explain that the FBI made its final release of records. The parties continue to confer "concerning search methodology with the intent of resolving any remaining issues." The parties seek leave to file their next joint status report by June 10, 2024. The Court shall ADOPT the parties' suggestion. The parties shall file their next joint status report on or before June 10, 2024 , and, if necessary, every thirty days thereafter. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 5/10/2024. (lcckk1) (Entered: 05/10/2024)
2024-05-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/10/2024, and, if necessary, every thirty days thereafter. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 5/10/2024. (dot) (Entered: 05/13/2024)
2024-06-0513Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 06/05/2024)
2024-07-3114Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 07/31/2024)
2024-08-01MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, the Court directs the parties to file another joint status report no later than October 31, 2024 , and, if necessary, every sixty days thereafter. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 8/1/2024. (lcckk1) (Entered: 08/01/2024)
2024-08-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/31/2024. (dot) (Entered: 08/01/2024)
2024-10-3115Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 10/31/2024)
2024-10-31MINUTE ORDER: The Court is in receipt of the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, in which they inform the Court that the FBI has "provided Plaintiff with its final production" and that the "only remaining issue to resolve" in this case is the Plaintiff's request for attorney's fees. The parties propose filing another joint status report on or before November 29, 2024. The Court shall adopt the parties' suggestion. The parties shall file a joint status report on or before November 29, 2024 , and if necessary, continue to file joint status reports every 30 days until further order of the Court. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 10/31/2024. (lcckk1) (Entered: 10/31/2024)
2024-10-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/29/2024. (dot) (Entered: 10/31/2024)
2024-11-2516Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 11/25/2024)
2024-11-25MINUTE ORDER: The Court is in receipt of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, in which the parties represent that they are "unable to resolve the attorney fee issue in this matter" and propose a briefing schedule. The Court hereby ADOPTS the parties' proposed schedule and ORDERS that the Plaintiff shall file its Motion for Attorney Fees on or before December 6, 2024 . The Defendant shall file its Memorandum in Opposition on or before February 20, 2025 . The Plaintiff shall file its Reply, if any, on or before March 28, 2025 . No further joint status reports are required. The Court observes that the parties have proposed a relatively long briefing schedule for the Plaintiff's Motion. If both parties are interested in an effort at mediation, they may jointly contact the Court at any time for a referral to a Magistrate Judge or to the voluntary U.S. District Court Mediation Program. See LCvR 84.4. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 11/25/2024. (lcckk1) (Entered: 11/25/2024)
2024-11-25Set/Reset Deadlines: Plaintiff's Motion for Attorney Fees due by 12/6/2024. Defendant's opposition due by 2/20/2025. Reply due by 3/28/2025. (dot) (Entered: 12/02/2024)
2024-12-0617MOTION for Attorney Fees and Costs by ANIMAL PARTISAN. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order, # 2 Certificate 7(m), # 3 Declaration Lowrey, # 4 Exhibit E, # 5 Declaration Spano, # 6 Declaration Housel, # 7 Declaration Sorenson, # 8 Exhibit F, # 9 Exhibit G, # 10 Exhibit H, # 11 Exhibit I, # 12 Exhibit J, # 13 Exhibit K, # 14 Exhibit L, # 15 Declaration Fox, # 16 Exhibit A, # 17 Exhibit B, # 18 Exhibit C, # 19 Exhibit D, # 20 Memorandum in Support)(Sorenson, C.) (Entered: 12/06/2024)
2025-01-07Case directly reassigned to Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr) (Entered: 01/07/2025)
2025-02-2018Memorandum in opposition to re 17 Motion for Attorney Fees,, filed by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration Ex. A, # 2 Exhibit Ex.B, # 3 Exhibit Ex. C)(Peterson, Benton) (Entered: 02/20/2025)
2025-03-2019REPLY to opposition to motion re 17 Motion for Attorney Fees,, filed by ANIMAL PARTISAN. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order, # 2 Declaration 2d Spano, # 3 Declaration 2d Housel, # 4 Declaration 2d Sorenson, # 5 Exhibit M, # 6 Exhibit N)(Sorenson, C.) (Entered: 03/20/2025)
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