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Case TitlePARTIALLY IMPORTANT PRODUCTIONS LLC v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv02145
Date Filed2023-07-24
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffPARTIALLY IMPORTANT PRODUCTIONS LLC
Case DescriptionPartially Important Productions, a TV production company that produces John Oliver's show on HBO, submitted FOIA requests to the Department Justice and the Department of Homeland Security for records concerning the use of the song God Bless the USA by government agencies. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agencies, PIP filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DefendantU.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2023-07-241COMPLAINT against U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-10227256) filed by PARTIALLY IMPORTANT PRODUCTIONS LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1-9, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet, # 3 Summons)(Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-242NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of PARTIALLY IMPORTANT PRODUCTIONS LLC (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-243LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by PARTIALLY IMPORTANT PRODUCTIONS LLC (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-25Case Assigned to Judge Christopher R. Cooper. (zljn) (Entered: 07/25/2023)
2023-07-254SUMMONS (5) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zljn) (Entered: 07/25/2023)
2023-08-215NOTICE of Appearance by Brenda A. Gonzalez Horowitz on behalf of U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 08/21/2023)
2023-08-236Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response to Plaintiff's Complaint by U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 08/23/2023)
2023-08-24MINUTE ORDER granting 6 Defendants' Motion for Extension of Time to File Response to Plaintiff's Complaint. Defendants shall file their response on or by September 27 2023. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 8/24/2023. (lccrc3) (Entered: 08/24/2023)
2023-09-277NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. Case related to Case No. 21-2169. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 09/27/2023)
2023-09-278ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 09/27/2023)
2023-10-249Case directly reassigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan as related. Judge Christopher R. Cooper is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr) (Entered: 10/24/2023)
2023-10-24MINUTE 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, whether either party anticipates filing a motion to consolidate this case with Case No. 21-cv-2169, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues no later than January 5, 2024. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 10/24/23. (lce) (Entered: 10/24/2023)
2023-10-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/5/2024. (ztl) (Entered: 11/16/2023)
2023-11-0610RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY served on 8/1/2023 (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2023-11-0611RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 8/4/2023 (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2023-11-0612RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES served on 8/3/2023 (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2023-11-0613RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 08/04/2023. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2023-11-0614RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/27/2023. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/26/2023. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2023-11-0615NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of PARTIALLY IMPORTANT PRODUCTIONS LLC (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2024-01-0516Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 01/05/2024)
2024-01-16MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report and the Minute Order filed on January 16, 2024, in 21-cv-2169-TSC, the parties shall file another status report on or before March 5, 2024, and every 60 days thereafter, updating the court on the status of this matter. To the extent the parties request a change in the status quo, the status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 1/16/24. (lce) (Entered: 01/16/2024)
2024-03-0517Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 03/05/2024)
2024-05-0618Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Gonzalez Horowitz, Brenda) (Entered: 05/06/2024)
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