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Case TitleMorris & Dickson Co L L C v. Justice
DistrictWestern District of Louisiana
CityShreveport
Case Number5:2023cv00992
Date Filed2023-07-26
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge S Maurice Hicks, Jr
PlaintiffMorris & Dickson Co L L C
Case DescriptionMorris & Dickson Co., LLC, a company that was registered DEA distributor, submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning communications between the any employee of the DEA and any employee of the Associated Press during the period between January 1, 2023 and the present. AP had gotten information about M&D's relationship with the DEA that was detrimental to M&D. That information was subsequently published in an article. M&D also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and denied M&D's request for expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, M&D filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Expedited processing, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU S Dept of Justice
DefendantU S Drug Enforcement Administration
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2023-07-261COMPLAINT against U.S. Department of Justice with Jury Demand (Filing fee $402, receipt number ALAWDC-5634954) filed by Morris & Dickson Co., LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Civil cover sheet, # 2 Exhibit Ex. 26 - 47, # 3 Exhibit Ex 1-25)(Attorney Franklin H Spruiell, Jr added to party Morris & Dickson Co., LLC(pty:pla))(aty,Spruiell, Franklin) (Attachment 1 replaced on 7/27/2023) (Alexander, E). (Entered: 07/26/2023)
2023-07-26CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT by Morris & Dickson Co L L C identifying Corporate Parent Morris & Dickson Holding Co L L C for Morris & Dickson Co L L C. ADMINISTRATIVE ENTRY: NO PDF ATTACHED as pleading filed as an attachment to 1 Complaint. (crt,Alexander, E) (Entered: 07/27/2023)
2023-07-26CASE Assigned to Judge S Maurice Hicks, Jr and Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby. (crt,Alexander, E) (Entered: 07/27/2023)
2023-07-272SUMMONS ISSUED as to U S Attorney, U S Attorney General, U S Dept of Justice, U S Drug Enforcement Administration. (crt,Alexander, E) (Entered: 07/27/2023)
2023-07-303MOTION for Jim Walden to Appear Pro Hac Vice (Admission fee: $105, receipt number ALAWDC-5638356) by Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Motions referred to Mark L Hornsby. Motion Ripe Deadline set for 7/30/2023. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate of good standing, # 2 Proposed order)(aty,Jones, Reid) (Entered: 07/30/2023)
2023-07-304MOTION for John F. Curran to Appear Pro Hac Vice (Admission fee: $105, receipt number ALAWDC-5638357) by Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Motions referred to Mark L Hornsby. Motion Ripe Deadline set for 7/30/2023. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate of good standing, # 2 Proposed order)(aty,Jones, Reid) (Entered: 07/30/2023)
2023-07-305MOTION for Veronica M. Wayner to Appear Pro Hac Vice (Admission fee: $105, receipt number ALAWDC-5638358) by Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Motions referred to Mark L Hornsby. Motion Ripe Deadline set for 7/30/2023. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate of good standing, # 2 Proposed order)(aty,Jones, Reid) (Entered: 07/30/2023)
2023-07-306MOTION for James W. Meehan to Appear Pro Hac Vice (Admission fee: $105, receipt number ALAWDC-5638359) by Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Motions referred to Mark L Hornsby. Motion Ripe Deadline set for 7/30/2023. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate of good standing, # 2 Proposed order)(aty,Jones, Reid) (Entered: 07/30/2023)
2023-08-017ORDER granting 3 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for appearance of Jim Walden for Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 8/1/2023. (crt,Miletello, A) (Entered: 08/01/2023)
2023-08-018ORDER granting 4 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for appearance of John F Curran for Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 8/1/2023. (crt,Miletello, A) (Entered: 08/01/2023)
2023-08-019ORDER granting 5 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for appearance of Veronica M Wayner for Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 8/1/2023. (crt,Miletello, A) (Entered: 08/01/2023)
2023-08-0110ORDER granting 6 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for appearance of James W Meehan for Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 8/1/2023. (crt,Miletello, A) (Entered: 08/01/2023)
2023-08-1111NOTICE of Appearance by Laura B Bakst and Shannon Thornhill Brown on behalf of U S Drug Enforcement Administration, U S Dept of Justice (Attorney Shannon Thornhill Brown added to party U S Drug Enforcement Administration(pty:dft), U S Dept of Justice(pty:dft)) (aty,Brown, Shannon) Modified docket text on 8/11/2023 (Miletello, A). (Entered: 08/11/2023)
2023-08-2812MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, with consent by U S Drug Enforcement Administration and U S Dept of Justice. Motions referred to Mark L Hornsby. Motion Ripe Deadline set for 8/28/2023. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed order)(aty,Bakst, Laura) Modified docket text on 8/28/2023 (Whitener, M). (Entered: 08/28/2023)
2023-08-2913ORDER granting 12 Motion for Extension of Time to Answer 1 Complaint. U S Drug Enforcement Administration answer due 9/19/2023; U S Dept of Justice answer due 9/19/2023. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 8/29/2023. (crt,Miletello, A) (Entered: 08/29/2023)
2023-09-1914MOTION to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction by All Defendants. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum / Brief, # 2 Exhibit 1 (notice of expedited processing), # 3 Proposed order)(aty,Bakst, Laura) (Entered: 09/19/2023)
2023-09-2015NOTICE of Motion Setting regarding: 14 MOTION to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction . Motions referred to Judge S Maurice Hicks, Jr. (crt,Whitener, M) (Entered: 09/20/2023)
2023-10-0216AMENDED COMPLAINT against All Defendants filed by Morris & Dickson Co L L C. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of James Meehan, # 2 Exhibit 1-15, # 3 Exhibit 16-30, # 4 Exhibit 31-47)(aty,Walden, Jim) Modified to reflect deficient on 10/4/2023 (Whitener, M). Modified to remove deficiency and reflect deficiency filed in error on 10/4/2023 (Whitener, M). (Entered: 10/02/2023)
2023-10-0217FILED IN ERROR NOTICE of Deficiency to Jim Walden on behalf of Morris & Dickson Co L L C regarding 16 Amended Complaint. Reason: Leave of court is required for the filing of this amended pleading. (crt,Whitener, M) Modified to reflect filed in error on 10/4/2023 (Whitener, M). (Entered: 10/04/2023)
2023-10-0418PROPOSED ORDER re 14 Denying without Prejudice Defendants Motion to Dismiss, on Consent by U S Drug Enforcement Administation, U S Dept of Justice, and Morris & Dickson Co L L C. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate of Service)(aty,Walden, Jim) Modified docket entry relationship and to add filers on 10/5/2023 (Whitener, M). (Entered: 10/04/2023)
2023-10-0519ORDER denying 14 Motion to Dismiss, without prejudice. Signed by Judge S Maurice Hicks, Jr on 10/5/2023. (crt,Enkey, R) (Entered: 10/05/2023)
2023-10-1620ANSWER to 16 Amended Complaint, by U S Drug Enforcement Administration, U S Dept of Justice. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit September 19, 2023 email)(aty,Bakst, Laura) (Entered: 10/16/2023)
2023-10-1721ELECTRONIC JURISDICTIONAL REVIEW FINDING: Having reviewed the pleadings, and any amended pleadings, the court finds that subject matter jurisdiction exists pursuant to: 28 U.S.C. section 1331. This finding is preliminary and may be reconsidered sua sponte or on appropriate motion. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 10/17/2023. (crt,Rider, M) (Entered: 10/17/2023)
2023-10-1722ORDER: Scheduling Conference set for 11/29/2023 11:00 AM in chambers before Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby. Rule 26 Conference between parties to take place before 11/8/2023. Initial Disclosures exchanged by 11/15/2023. Rule 26 Report due by 11/15/2023. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 10/17/2023. (crt,Keller, J) (Entered: 10/17/2023)
2023-11-0823Joint MOTION to Stay by Morris & Dickson Co L L C. Motions referred to Mark L Hornsby. Motion Ripe Deadline set for 11/8/2023. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed order)(aty,Walden, Jim) (Entered: 11/08/2023)
2023-11-1324ORDER granting 23 Motion to Stay. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties are directed to submit a status report within thirty (30) days of the date of this Order. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 11/13/2023. (crt,Miletello, A) (Entered: 11/13/2023)
2023-12-1325JOINT STATUS REPORT by Morris & Dickson Co L LC, U S Drug Enforcement Administration, and U S Dept of Justice. (aty,Bakst, Laura) Modified to add filer on 12/14/2023 (Whitener, M). (Entered: 12/13/2023)
2024-01-0926ELECTRONIC MINUTE ENTRY: The parties are directed to file a joint status report by February 9, 2024. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark L Hornsby on 1/9/2024. (crt,Rider, M) (Entered: 01/09/2024)
2024-01-2527STIPULATION of Dismissal by Morris & Dickson Co L L C . (aty,Walden, Jim) (Entered: 01/25/2024)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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