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Case TitleCONNELL v. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv02030
Date Filed2024-07-12
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Sparkle L. Sooknanan
PlaintiffJAMES G. CONNELL, III
Case DescriptionJames Connell submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the destruction of a Sunni Mosque in Iraq in 1994. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Connell filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDEPARTMENT OF STATE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2024-07-121COMPLAINT against DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Filing fee $405, receipt number ADCDC-11022096) filed by JAMES G. CONNELL, III. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Exhibit 3, # 4 Exhibit 4, # 5 Exhibit 5, # 6 Exhibit 6, # 7 Exhibit 7, # 8 Exhibit 8, # 9 Civil Cover Sheet, # 10 Summons)(Skelton, Meghan) Modified to add fee information on 7/15/2024 (znmw). (Attachment 9 replaced on 7/15/2024) (znmw). (Entered: 07/12/2024)
2024-07-15Case Assigned to Judge Amy Berman Jackson. (znmw) (Entered: 07/15/2024)
2024-07-152SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 07/15/2024)
2024-07-15NOTICE OF NEW CASE ERROR regarding 1 Complaint,. The following error(s) need correction: Missing summonses- U.S. government. When naming a U.S. government agent or agency as a defendant, you must supply a summons for each defendant & two additional summonses for the U.S. Attorney & U.S. Attorney General. Please submit using the event Request for Summons to Issue. (znmw) (Entered: 07/15/2024)
2024-07-153REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE filed by JAMES G. CONNELL, III. (Attachments: # 1 Summons)(Skelton, Meghan) (Entered: 07/15/2024)
2024-07-154SUMMONS (2) Issued Electronically as to U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zdp) (Entered: 07/15/2024)
2024-07-215RETURN 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. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Acceptance of Service)(Skelton, Meghan) (Entered: 07/21/2024)
2024-07-216RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 07/17/2024. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1)(Skelton, Meghan) (Entered: 07/21/2024)
2024-07-217RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. JAMES G. CONNELL, III served on 7/17/2024 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1)(Skelton, Meghan) (Entered: 07/21/2024)
2024-08-088ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Ontell, Joshua) (Entered: 08/08/2024)
2024-08-08MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of Local Civil Rule 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure appear to be inapplicable. Defendant must file a dispositive motion or, in the alternative, a report setting forth the schedule for the completion of its production of documents to plaintiff, on or before August 29, 2024. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 8/8/2024 (lcabj2) (Entered: 08/08/2024)
2024-08-279Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Ontell, Joshua) (Entered: 08/27/2024)
2024-08-27MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 9 joint status report, it is ORDERED that the parties must file another joint status report by October 29, 2024. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 8/27/2024. (lcabj2) (Entered: 08/27/2024)
2024-10-2910Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Ontell, Joshua) (Entered: 10/29/2024)
2024-10-30MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 10 joint status report, it is ORDERED that the parties must file another joint status report by January 30, 2025. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 10/30/2024. (lcabj2) (Entered: 10/30/2024)
2024-11-1811NOTICE of Appearance by Kimberly Stratton on behalf of All Defendants (Stratton, Kimberly) (Entered: 11/18/2024)
2025-01-07Case directly reassigned to Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan. Judge Amy Berman Jackson is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr) (Entered: 01/07/2025)
2025-01-3012Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Stratton, Kimberly) (Entered: 01/30/2025)
2025-01-30MINUTE ORDER: In light of 12 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report by 3/31/2025. So ORDERED by Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan on 1/30/2025. (lcas) (Entered: 01/30/2025)
2025-03-2813NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Attorney Joshua Ontell terminated. (Ontell, Joshua) (Entered: 03/28/2025)
2025-03-3114Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Stratton, Kimberly) (Entered: 03/31/2025)
2025-04-02MINUTE ORDER: In light of the Parties' 14 Joint Status Report, the Court ORDERS the Parties to file a further joint status report by June 2, 2025. Signed by Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan on 4/2/2025. (lcas) (Entered: 04/02/2025)
2025-06-0215Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Stratton, Kimberly) (Entered: 06/02/2025)
2025-06-03MINUTE ORDER: In light of the Parties' 15 Joint Status Report, the Court ORDERS the Parties to file a further joint status report by August 4, 2025. This Joint Status Report should propose next steps if no responsive records have been identified. Signed by Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan on 6/3/2025. (lcas) (Entered: 06/03/2025)
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