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Case TitlePROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv01794
Date Filed2024-06-21
Date Closed2025-03-17
JudgeJudge Reggie B. Walton
PlaintiffPROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST
Case DescriptionProtect the Public's Trust submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Agriculture for records concerning communications to and from Secretary Vilsack and two other senior officials. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, PPT filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2024-06-211COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-10976936) filed by PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Exhibit A - FOIA Request, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet Civil Cover Sheet, # 3 Summons Summons -- U.S. Attorney's Office, # 4 Summons Summons -- U.S. Attorney General, # 5 Summons Summons -- USDA)(Lawkowski, Gary) (Entered: 06/21/2024)
2024-06-212LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST (Lawkowski, Gary) (Entered: 06/21/2024)
2024-06-24Case Assigned to Judge Reggie B. Walton. (znmw) (Entered: 06/24/2024)
2024-06-243SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 06/24/2024)
2024-07-174NOTICE of Appearance by Erika Kirstie Oblea on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 07/17/2024)
2024-07-175Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, or Otherwise Respond by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 07/17/2024)
2024-07-18MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the defendant's 5 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Respond, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that the defendant's 5 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Respond is GRANTED. It is further ORDERED that, on or before August 23, 2024, the defendant shall file its answer or otherwise respond to the plaintiff's Complaint. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on July 18, 2024. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 07/18/2024)
2024-07-196GENERAL ORDER FOR CIVIL CASES BEFORE THE HONORABLE REGGIE B. WALTON. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on July 19, 2024. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 07/19/2024)
2024-08-237ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.(Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 08/23/2024)
2024-08-23MINUTE ORDER. To ensure the expeditious resolution of this action, and because this qualifies as an exempted case under Local Civil Rule 16.3(b), it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before September 20, 2024, the parties shall file a joint proposed briefing schedule governing further proceedings. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on August 23, 2024. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 08/23/2024)
2024-09-208Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 09/20/2024)
2024-09-23MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before November 19, 2024, the parties shall submit a joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on September 23, 2024. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 09/23/2024)
2024-11-199Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 11/19/2024)
2024-11-20MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before January 17, 2025, the parties shall file another joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. It is further ORDERED that on January 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., the parties shall appear before the Court for a status conference, via teleconference, by calling 1-877-873-8017 and entering the Court's access code (8583213) followed by the pound key (#). Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on November 20, 2024. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 11/20/2024)
2024-11-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/17/2025. (zalh) (Entered: 11/20/2024)
2025-01-0710NOTICE of Appearance by Karin Sweigart on behalf of PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST (Sweigart, Karin) (Entered: 01/07/2025)
2025-01-16MINUTE ORDER. Due to a change in the Court's teleconference system, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall appear before the Court for the status conference currently scheduled for January 22, 2025, via teleconference, by calling 646-828-7666, entering Meeting ID 161 591 8885 followed by the pound key (#), and then entering the Passcode 984979 followed by the pound key (#). Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on January 16, 2025. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 01/16/2025)
2025-01-1611NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST. Attorney Gary Lawkowski terminated. (Lawkowski, Gary) (Entered: 01/16/2025)
2025-01-1712ENTERED IN ERROR.....Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Oblea, Erika) Modified on 1/21/2025; refiled as docket entry 13 (znmw). (Entered: 01/17/2025)
2025-01-1713Joint STATUS REPORT (Amended) by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 01/17/2025)
2025-01-17MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 13 Amended Joint Status Report, the status conference currently scheduled for January 22, 2025, is VACATED. It is further ORDERED that, on or before March 18, 2025, the parties shall file a joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on January 17, 2025. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 01/17/2025)
2025-03-1414STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 03/14/2025)
2025-03-14MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 14 Stipulation of Dismissal, it is hereby ORDERED that this case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. It is further ORDERED that this case is CLOSED. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on March 14, 2025. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 03/14/2025)
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