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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv00454
Date Filed2024-02-16
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Dabney L. Friedrich
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning Form 302s related to the agency's investigation of Matt Gaetz. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The FBI invoked a privacy Glomar response. American Oversight filed an administrative appeal of that decision. The Criminal Division acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the Criminal Division, American Oversight filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2024-02-161COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-10694798) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Civil Cover Sheet, # 4 Summons USAO, # 5 Summons AG, # 6 Summons FBI, # 7 Summons DOJ)(Lewis, Emma) (Entered: 02/16/2024)
2024-02-162LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Lewis, Emma) (Entered: 02/16/2024)
2024-02-16Case Assigned to Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. (zrtw) (Entered: 02/16/2024)
2024-02-163SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zrtw) (Entered: 02/16/2024)
2024-02-204STANDARD ORDER for Civil Cases. See text for details. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on February 20, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 02/20/2024)
2024-04-17MINUTE ORDER. The plaintiff filed the Complaint in this action on February 16, 2024, against two defendants. As of the date of this order, the public docket reflects that the plaintiff has yet to file proof of service of either defendant. The Court directs the plaintiff's attention to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m), which provides in pertinent part that if a defendant is not served within 90 days after the complaint is filed, the court, on motion or on its own after notice to the plaintiff, must dismiss the action without prejudice against that defendant or order that service be made within a specified time. But if the plaintiff shows good cause for the failure, the court must extend the time for service for an appropriate period. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m). Unless service is waived, proof of service must be made to the court. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(l)(1). To avoid the finality of a mandatory dismissal of this action against the defendants, it is ORDERED that the plaintiff must, on or before May 16, 2024 , either cause process to be served upon the defendants and proof of service to be filed with the Court or establish good cause for the failure to do so. The failure to make such filings will result in dismissal of this case. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on April 17, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 04/17/2024)
2024-05-025RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/23/2024. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/23/2024.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 4/26/24., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION served on 4/26/2024; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 4/26/2024 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Lewis, Emma) (Entered: 05/02/2024)
2024-05-136NOTICE of Appearance by Kaitlin Kerry Eckrote on behalf of All Defendants (Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 05/13/2024)
2024-05-137Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 05/13/2024)
2024-05-13MINUTE ORDER granting the defendants' 7 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Respond. The defendants shall file an answer or otherwise respond to the plaintiff's 1 Complaint on or before June 24, 2024. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on May 13, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 05/13/2024)
2024-05-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer due by 6/24/2024, (zjch, ) (Entered: 05/14/2024)
2024-06-248ANSWER to Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 06/24/2024)
2024-06-25MINUTE ORDER requiring the parties to MEET AND CONFER and file a Meet and Confer report proposing a schedule for further proceedings. The report should address the status of the plaintiff's FOIA request, including the anticipated number of documents responsive to the request and the anticipated date(s) for release of the requested documents. The parties shall file the Meet and Confer report on or before July 25, 2024. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on June 25, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 06/25/2024)
2024-07-119NOTICE of Appearance by Loree Stark on behalf of AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Stark, Loree) (Main Document 9 replaced on 7/12/2024) (mg). (Entered: 07/11/2024)
2024-07-2510Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Stark, Loree) (Entered: 07/25/2024)
2024-07-25MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before September 23, 2024. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on July 25, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 07/25/2024)
2024-09-2311Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 09/23/2024)
2024-09-23MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before November 22, 2024. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on September 23, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 09/23/2024)
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