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Case TitleLAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR 9/1 INQUIRY, INC. v. GARLAND et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv02647
Date Filed2023-09-10
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeChief Judge James E. Boasberg
PlaintiffLAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR 9/1 INQUIRY, INC.
Case DescriptionLawyers Committee for 9/11 Inquiry submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning major bombing case files that the FBI was intending to transfer to the National Archives. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told the Committee that it would cost $3,000 to respond to its request. The Committee then filed an administrative appeal. The FBI denied the request under Exemption 7(A) (interference with ongoing investigation or proceeding). The Committee filed a second administrative appeal. The FBI upheld its denial. The Committee then filed suit.
Complaint issues: Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantMERRICK GARLAND Attorney general of the United States; and the United States Department of Justice
DefendantMERRICK B. GARLAND Attorney general of the United States; and the United States Department of Justice
DefendantCHRISTOPHER A. WRAY Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation; And the Federal 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

2023-09-101COMPLAINT Under FOIA against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-10338887) filed by LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR 9/1 INQUIRY, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons Attorney General Garland, # 3 Summons FBI Director Wray, # 4 Summons US Attorney Graves)(Harrison, Mick) (Entered: 09/10/2023)
2023-09-102NOTICE Certificate required by LCvR 26.1 by LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR 9/1 INQUIRY, INC. re 1 Complaint, (Harrison, Mick) (Entered: 09/10/2023)
2023-09-11Case Assigned to Chief Judge James E. Boasberg. (zljn) (Entered: 09/11/2023)
2023-09-113SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zljn) (Entered: 09/11/2023)
2023-12-20MINUTE ORDER: As Plaintiff has not filed timely proof of service on Defendants, the Court ORDERS that it shall file proof of service by January 3, 2024, or the case will be dismissed without prejudice per Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m). So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 12/20/2023. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 12/20/2023)
2023-12-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Proof of Service due by 1/3/2024. (znbn) (Entered: 12/21/2023)
2024-01-034DECLARATION of Server Attorney Mick Harrison with Proof of Service by LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR 9/1 INQUIRY, INC. re 3 Summons Issued Electronically as to AUSA. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1 Proof of Service Documentation)(Harrison, Mick) (Entered: 01/03/2024)
2024-01-035RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 12/15/2023. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 1/14/2024.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 12/15/2023. (See Docket Entry 4 to view documents.) (ztth) (Entered: 01/04/2024)
2024-01-166NOTICE of Appearance by Fithawi Berhane on behalf of All Defendants (Berhane, Fithawi) (Entered: 01/16/2024)
2024-01-167ANSWER to Complaint by MERRICK GARLAND, CHRISTOPHER A. WRAY.(Berhane, Fithawi) (Entered: 01/16/2024)
2024-01-17MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the parties shall confer and submit a joint proposed briefing schedule by January 31, 2024. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 1/17/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 01/17/2024)
2024-01-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 1/31/2024. (znbn) (Entered: 01/17/2024)
2024-01-318Joint STATUS REPORT by MERRICK GARLAND, CHRISTOPHER A. WRAY. (Berhane, Fithawi) (Entered: 01/31/2024)
2024-01-31MINUTE ORDER: The Court ADOPTS the parties' 8 Joint Status Report and ORDERS that they shall file a further joint status report by February 29, 2024. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 1/31/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 01/31/2024)
2024-02-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/29/2024 (lsj) (Entered: 02/01/2024)
2024-02-299Joint STATUS REPORT by MERRICK GARLAND, CHRISTOPHER A. WRAY. (Berhane, Fithawi) (Entered: 02/29/2024)
2024-03-01MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the parties shall appear for a status hearing by Zoom on March 8, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 3/1/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 03/01/2024)
2024-03-01Set/Reset Hearings: Status Conference set for 3/8/2024 at 03:00 PM in Telephonic/VTC before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg. (znbn) (Entered: 03/01/2024)
2024-03-04MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the status hearing set for March 8, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. is VACATED and RESET for March 11, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. by Zoom. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 3/4/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 03/04/2024)
2024-03-04Set/Reset Hearings: Status Conference set for 3/11/2024 at 02:00 PM in Telephonic/VTC before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg. (znbn) Modified on 3/4/2024 (znbn). (Entered: 03/04/2024)
2024-03-04Set/Reset Hearings: Status Conference set for 3/11/2024 at 02:00 PM in Telephonic/VTC before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg. (znbn) (Entered: 03/04/2024)
2024-03-11Minute Entry for proceedings held before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg: Status Conference held via Zoom on 3/11/2024. Status Report due by 4/11/2024. (Court Reporter Tammy Nestor) (nbn) (Entered: 03/11/2024)
2024-03-11MINUTE ORDER: As discussed at today's hearing, the Court ORDERS that the parties shall submit a Joint Status Report by April 11, 2024, which shall contain, inter alia , the number of pages of documents that are responsive to Plaintiff's request, the Government's expected processing time, and any other exemptions beyond 7(A) that the Government expects to be significant in its withholdings. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 3/11/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 03/11/2024)
2024-04-1110STATUS REPORT by MERRICK GARLAND, CHRISTOPHER A. WRAY. (Berhane, Fithawi) (Entered: 04/11/2024)
2024-04-12MINUTE ORDER: The Court's Minute Order required a Joint Status Report, but the 10 Report submitted comes only from the Government and does not indicate Plaintiff's position. The Court, accordingly, ORDERS that the parties shall file a Joint Status Report by April 15, 2024. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 4/12/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 04/12/2024)
2024-04-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/15/2024.(znbn) (Entered: 04/12/2024)
2024-04-1511Joint STATUS REPORT by MERRICK GARLAND, CHRISTOPHER A. WRAY. (Berhane, Fithawi) (Entered: 04/15/2024)
2024-04-16MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the parties shall submit a Joint Status Report by May 10, 2024, which shall contain, inter alia , the number of pages of documents that are responsive to Plaintiff's request, the Government's expected processing time, and any other exemptions beyond 7(A) that the Government expects to be significant in its withholdings. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 4/16/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 04/16/2024)
2024-04-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/10/2024. (znbn) (Entered: 04/16/2024)
2024-05-1012Joint STATUS REPORT by LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR 9/1 INQUIRY, INC.. (Harrison, Mick) (Entered: 05/10/2024)
2024-05-13MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the Government shall process the approximately 11,000 digital photographs at a rate of 500 pages per month. The parties shall file a further Joint Status Report on August 13, 2024, and every 90 days thereafter. So ORDERED by Chief Judge James E. Boasberg on 5/13/2024. (lcjeb4) (Entered: 05/13/2024)
2024-05-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/13/2024. (znbn) (Entered: 05/13/2024)
2024-08-1413STATUS REPORT by MERRICK B. GARLAND, CHRISTOPHER A. WRAY. (Berhane, Fithawi) (Entered: 08/14/2024)
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