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Case TitleLANIER LAW FIRM v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv01264
Date Filed2024-04-30
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Randolph D. Moss
PlaintiffLANIER LAW FIRM
Case DescriptionLanier Law Firm submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for records concerning communications between CMS and HHS pertaining to the talcum powder litigation against Johnson and Johnson. CMS acknowledged receipt of the request but told Lanier that its request was too vague to search. Lanier disagreed, instead sending a letter with names of individual employees who might have records. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Lanier Law Firm filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DefendantCENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES
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

2024-04-301COMPLAINT against All Defendants U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-10861394) filed by LANIER LAW FIRM. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit B, # 4 Summons for Attorney General of the United States, # 5 Summons for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, # 6 Summons for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, # 7 Summons for U.S. Attorney's Office)(Lang, Aaron) (Attachment 1 replaced on 5/2/2024) (mg). (Entered: 04/30/2024)
2024-04-302LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by LANIER LAW FIRM (Lang, Aaron) (Entered: 04/30/2024)
2024-04-303NOTICE of Appearance by James Woodside Orth, I on behalf of LANIER LAW FIRM (Orth, James) (Entered: 04/30/2024)
2024-05-02Case Assigned to Judge Randolph D. Moss. (mg) (Entered: 05/02/2024)
2024-05-024SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (mg) (Entered: 05/02/2024)
2024-05-155STANDING ORDER: The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the directives set forth in the attached Standing Order. See document for details. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 5/15/24. (lcrdm2) (Entered: 05/15/2024)
2024-05-226RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 5/10/2024. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 6/9/2024. (Lang, Aaron) (Entered: 05/22/2024)
2024-05-227RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 05/10/2024. (Lang, Aaron) (Entered: 05/22/2024)
2024-05-228RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES served on 5/21/2024 (Lang, Aaron) (Entered: 05/22/2024)
2024-05-229RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 5/9/2024 (Lang, Aaron) (Entered: 05/22/2024)
2024-06-1010ANSWER to Complaint by CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/10/2024)
2024-06-13MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that, on or before July 12, 2024, the parties shall confer and file a joint status report addressing (1) any documents still to be produced pursuant to FOIA; (2) an anticipated schedule for processing and producing any such documents; and (3) any substantive areas of disagreement between the parties. It is further ORDERED that the parties shall appear for an Initial Scheduling Conference on July 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 8. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 6/13/24. (lcrdm2) (Entered: 06/13/2024)
2024-07-1211Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 07/12/2024)
2024-07-14MINUTE ORDER: In light of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 11 , it is hereby ORDERED that (1) the initial scheduling conference set for July 17, 2024, is VACATED, and (2) the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before September 10, 2024. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 7/14/24. (lcrdm2) (Entered: 07/14/2024)
2024-09-1012Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 09/10/2024)
2024-09-12MINUTE ORDER: In light of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 12 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before October 10, 2024. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 9/12/2024. (lcrdm2) (Entered: 09/12/2024)
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