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Case TitleCATO INSTITUTE v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv01981
Date Filed2024-07-09
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Beryl A. Howell
PlaintiffCATO INSTITUTE
Case DescriptionCato Institute submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning the National State Rights organization. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency located 6,949 pages and told Cato Institute it would cost $205 for CDs or $342 for hard copy pages. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Cato Institute filed suit.
Complaint issues: Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2024-07-091COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-11011984) filed by CATO INSTITUTE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Civil Cover Sheet, # 3 Summons)(Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 07/09/2024)
2024-07-092NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of CATO INSTITUTE (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 07/09/2024)
2024-07-093NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of CATO INSTITUTE (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 07/09/2024)
2024-07-10Case Assigned to Judge Beryl A. Howell. (znmw) (Entered: 07/10/2024)
2024-07-104SUMMONS (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)(znmw) (Entered: 07/10/2024)
2024-07-105STANDING ORDER. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on July 10, 2024. (lcbah1) (Entered: 07/10/2024)
2024-08-146NOTICE of Appearance by Stephen DeGenaro on behalf of All Defendants (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/14/2024)
2024-08-147ANSWER to Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/14/2024)
2024-08-198RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 7/22/2024 (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 08/19/2024)
2024-08-199RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION served on 7/25/2024 (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 08/19/2024)
2024-08-1910RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 7/22/2024. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 08/19/2024)
2024-08-1911RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/15/2024. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/14/2024. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 08/19/2024)
2024-08-2812Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/28/2024)
2024-08-30MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING the parties, upon consideration of their 12 Joint Status Report, to file, by October 28, 2024, a joint status report, advising the Court of the status of this action. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on August 30, 2024. (lcbah1) (Entered: 08/30/2024)
2024-08-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/28/2024. (zalh) (Entered: 08/30/2024)
2024-10-2813Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 10/28/2024)
2024-10-31MINUTE ORDER (paperless), upon consideration of the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, DIRECTING the parties to submit a joint status report by December 20, 2024, advising the Court on the status of this matter. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on October 31, 2024. (lcbah1) (Entered: 10/31/2024)
2024-11-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Joint Status Report due by 12/20/2024. (mac) (Entered: 11/01/2024)
2024-12-30MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING plaintiff to SHOW CAUSE, by January 3, 2025, why this case should not be dismissed for failure to prosecute, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m) and D.D.C. Local Civil Rule 82.23. The parties have yet to file their Joint Status Report that was due by December 20, 2024, advising the Court on the status of this matter, see Min. Order (Oct. 31, 2024). Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on December 30, 2024. (lcbah1) (Entered: 12/30/2024)
2024-12-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Plaintiff's Response to Show Cause due by 1/3/2025. (zalh) (Entered: 12/31/2024)
2024-12-3114Joint STATUS REPORT and Response to Order to Show Cause by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 12/31/2024)
2025-01-06MINUTE ORDER (paperless), upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, VACATING the December 30, 2024, Minute Order to Show Cause, and DIRECTING the parties to file a joint status report by February 18, 2025, advising the Court of the status of this matter. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on January 6, 2025. (lcbah1) (Entered: 01/06/2025)
2025-02-1815Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 02/18/2025)
2025-02-19MINUTE ORDER (paperless), upon consideration of the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, DIRECTING the parties to file a joint status report by May 16, 2025, advising the Court of the status of this matter. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on February 19, 2025. (lcbah1) (Entered: 02/19/2025)
2025-02-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Joint Status Report due by 5/16/2025. (mac) (Entered: 02/20/2025)
2025-05-1616Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 05/16/2025)
2025-05-19MINUTE ORDER (paperless), upon consideration of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, DIRECTING the parties to file a joint status report by August 15, 2025, advising the Court of the status of this matter. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on May 19, 2025. (lcbah1) (Entered: 05/19/2025)
2025-05-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Joint Status Report due by 8/15/2025 (mac) (Entered: 05/20/2025)
2025-06-1017NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Anna Davis Walker on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Stephen DeGenaro (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 06/10/2025)
2025-06-11NOTICE of Provisional/Government Not Certified Status re 17 NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Anna Davis Walker on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Stephen DeGenaro (Walker, Anna). Your attorney renewal/government certification has not been received. As a result, your membership with the U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia is not in good standing, and you are not permitted to file. Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 83.9, you must immediately correct your membership status by following the appropriate instructions on this page of our website: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/attorney-renewal. Please be advised that the presiding judge in this case has been notified that you are currently not in good standing to file in this court. Renewal Due by 6/18/2025. (zapb) (Entered: 06/11/2025)
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