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Case TitlePOWER THE FUTURE v. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv02145
Date Filed2024-07-22
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffPOWER THE FUTURE
also known as PTF
Case DescriptionPower the Future submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning emails from a named official that included an EOP email address. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Power the Future filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDEPARTMENT OF STATE
also known as STATE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2024-07-221COMPLAINT Under the Freedom of Information Act against DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-11043281) filed by POWER THE FUTURE. (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet)(Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 07/22/2024)
2024-07-232NOTICE of Appearance by Christopher Cochran Horner on behalf of POWER THE FUTURE (Horner, Christopher) (Entered: 07/23/2024)
2024-07-24Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (zcb) (Entered: 07/24/2024)
2024-07-243SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zcb) (Entered: 07/24/2024)
2024-08-124NOTICE of Appearance by Dedra Seibel Curteman on behalf of All Defendants (Curteman, Dedra) (Entered: 08/12/2024)
2024-08-125NOTICE of Appearance by Stephen DeGenaro on behalf of All Defendants (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/12/2024)
2024-08-126NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by All Defendants. Case related to Case No. 24-0465, 24-2070, 24-2078, 24-2120, 24-2149, 24-2151, 24-2168, 24-2196. (Curteman, Dedra) (Entered: 08/12/2024)
2024-08-137RESPONSE re 6 Notice of Related Case filed by POWER THE FUTURE. (Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 08/13/2024)
2024-08-138MOTION to Stay by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/13/2024)
2024-08-219NOTICE OF SUPPLEMENTAL AUTHORITY by POWER THE FUTURE (Attachments: # 1 Supplement Order of Judge Jackon in Case No. 1:24-cv-465)(Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 08/21/2024)
2024-08-2210RESPONSE re 8 MOTION to Stay filed by POWER THE FUTURE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A (proof of service), # 2 Supplement Minute Order of Judge Reyes, # 3 Supplement Minute Order of Judge Reyes, # 4 Supplement Minute Order of Judge Jackson)(Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 08/22/2024)
2024-08-23MINUTE ORDER denying 8 Defendant's Motion for Stay: It is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's Motion for Stay is denied. The Government requests a stay because it anticipates filing a motion for consolidation in another case brought by the same Plaintiff. See Mot. Stay at 1, ECF No. 8 . Judge Jackson recently concluded that on the current record in that case, "the Court finds the cases identified in defendant's notice [of related cases] to be unrelated to this case, and it is not apparent that they would benefit from consolidation." Minute Order, Power the Future v. U.S. Dep't of State , No. 24-cv-465 (Aug. 21, 2024). As a result, the Court concludes that a stay in this case is not presently warranted pending the outcome of Defendant's anticipated motion. Despite the conclusion that the cases may not be related under Local Rule 40.5, however, this Court will consider the impact, if any, so many similar FOIA requests submitted by the same requester to the same agency would have on the number of records the agency would be required to process per month (in each case individually or cumulatively). SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 8/23/2024. (lcrc3) (Entered: 08/23/2024)
2024-08-2311NOTICE of Filing Motion to Consolidate in Related Case Civ. A. No. 24-2078 by DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Curteman, Dedra) (Entered: 08/23/2024)
2024-08-2312ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/23/2024)
2024-08-23MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and jointly submit a proposed briefing schedule by September 6, 2024. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 8/23/2024. (lcrc3) (Entered: 08/23/2024)
2024-09-0613Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 09/06/2024)
2024-09-09MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 13 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before December 5, 2024. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 9/9/2024. (lcrc3) (Entered: 09/09/2024)
2024-11-0414NOTICE of Appearance by Nathaniel Lindzen on behalf of POWER THE FUTURE (Lindzen, Nathaniel) (Entered: 11/04/2024)
2024-12-0515Joint STATUS REPORT by POWER THE FUTURE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 12/05/2024)
2024-12-0516NOTICE of Change of Address by Matthew D. Hardin (Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 12/05/2024)
2024-12-05MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 15 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before March 5, 2025. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 12/5/2024. (lcrc3) (Entered: 12/05/2024)
2024-12-2617NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to POWER THE FUTURE. Attorney Nathaniel Lindzen terminated. (Lindzen, Nathaniel) (Entered: 12/26/2024)
2025-03-0518Joint STATUS REPORT by POWER THE FUTURE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hardin, Matthew) (Entered: 03/05/2025)
2025-03-05MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 18 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before June 2, 2025. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 3/5/2025. (lcrc3) (Entered: 03/05/2025)
2025-04-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 6/2/2025 (tj) (Entered: 04/03/2025)
2025-05-3119NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Stephanie R. Johnson on behalf of DEPARTMENT OF STATE Substituting for attorney Stephen DeGenaro (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 05/31/2025)
2025-06-0220Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 06/02/2025)
2025-06-02MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 20 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before August 29, 2025. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 06/02/2025. (lcrc3) (Entered: 06/02/2025)
2025-06-1021NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Attorney Dedra Seibel Curteman terminated. (Curteman, Dedra) (Entered: 06/10/2025)
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