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Case TitleMESSINA LAW FIRM, P.C. v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of New Jersey
CityTrenton
Case Number3:2016cv03554
Date Filed2016-06-18
Date Closed2016-12-22
JudgeJudge Freda L. Wolfson
PlaintiffMESSINA LAW FIRM, P.C. a New Jersey Professional Corporation
Case DescriptionThe Messina Law Firm submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning any contacts between the agency and Mark Zuckerberg or his representatives pertaining to a civil action against Zuckerberg in the Western District of New York. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but more than a year later the agency still had produced no records. It finally provided an interim response indicating that some DOJ offices did not have any records. Messina Law Firm filed an administrative appeal of the interim decision, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Messina Law Firm filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2016-06-181COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing and Admin fee $ 400 receipt number 0312-7173410), filed by MESSINA LAW FIRM, P.C.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(MESSINA, GIL) (Entered: 06/18/2016)
2016-06-182Corporate Disclosure Statement by MESSINA LAW FIRM, P.C.. (MESSINA, GIL) (Entered: 06/18/2016)
2016-06-20Judge Freda L. Wolfson and Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert added. (jjc) (Entered: 06/20/2016)
2016-06-203SUMMONS ISSUED as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Attached is the official court Summons, please fill out Defendant and Plaintiff's attorney information and serve. Issued By *John Moller* (jem) (Entered: 06/20/2016)
2016-06-204Request for Summons to be Issued by MESSINA LAW FIRM, P.C. as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Summons)(MESSINA, GIL) (Entered: 06/20/2016)
2016-06-205SUMMONS ISSUED as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE with answer to complaint due within 30 days. Original summons mailed to Plaintiff's attorney. (mmh) (Entered: 06/20/2016)
2016-08-256CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE by MESSINA LAW FIRM, P.C. (MESSINA, GIL) (Entered: 08/25/2016)
2016-09-277ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(URGENT, ALLAN) (Entered: 09/27/2016)
2016-09-288NOTICE of Hearing: Initial Conference set for 11/17/2016 10:00 AM in Trenton - Courtroom 6W before Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert. Attention Counsel: The Joint Discovery Plan is due (7) days prior to the conference. Please do not e-file. Please e-mail this document to dea_orders@njd.uscourts.gov (ce3) (Entered: 09/28/2016)
2016-10-049Letter from Defendant United States Department of Justice re 8 Notice of Hearing,. (URGENT, ALLAN) (Entered: 10/04/2016)
2016-10-1210LETTER ORDER granting request that the Court adjourn the conference set for 11/17/2016 and permit the Defendant until 11/10/2016 to file its summary judgment motion. The Court will conduct a telephone status conference instead of a R16 conference on 11/17/2016 at 10:00 AM; Defense counsel must initiate the call. Signed by Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert on 10/12/2016. (mmh) (Entered: 10/13/2016)
2016-11-0911Letter from Defendant Requesting an Extension of Time to File Its Summary Judgment Motion Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(b). (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(URGENT, ALLAN) (Entered: 11/09/2016)
2016-11-0912ORDER extending deadline for the Defendant to file its summary judgment motion; the deadline is extended to 11/17/2016. Signed by Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert on 11/9/2016. (km) (Entered: 11/09/2016)
2016-11-1613MOTION for Summary Judgment by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. Responses due by 12/5/2016 (Attachments: # 1 Defendant's Statement of Material Facts Not in Dispute Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 56.1, # 2 Declaration of Vanessa R. Brinkmann, # 3 Brief in Support of Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment, # 4 Text of Proposed Order)(URGENT, ALLAN) (Entered: 11/16/2016)
2016-11-16Set Deadlines as to 13 MOTION for Summary Judgment . Motion set for 12/19/2016 before Judge Freda L. Wolfson. Unless otherwise directed by the Court, this motion will be decided on the papers and no appearances are required. Note that this is an automatically generated message from the Clerk`s Office and does not supersede any previous or subsequent orders from the Court. (km) (Entered: 11/16/2016)
2016-11-17Text Minute Entry for proceedings held before Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert: Telephone Conference held on 11/17/2016. (ce3) (Entered: 11/17/2016)
2016-11-1714INITIAL SCHEDULING ORDER: The return date of Defendants motion for summary judgment [dkt. no. 13 ] is reset from December 19, 2016 to February 6, 2017. Telephone Status Conference set for 2/6/2017 03:00 PM before Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert. Signed by Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert on 11/17/2016. (mmh) (Entered: 11/17/2016)
2016-11-17Reset Deadlines as to 13 MOTION for Summary Judgment. Motion reset for 2/6/2017 before Judge Freda L. Wolfson. Unless otherwise directed by the Court, this motion will be decided on the papers and no appearances are required. Note that this is an automatically generated message from the Clerk`s Office and does not supersede any previous or subsequent orders from the Court. (mmh) (Entered: 11/17/2016)
2016-12-2115NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (URGENT, ALLAN) (Entered: 12/21/2016)
2016-12-22***Civil Case Terminated. (mmh) (Entered: 12/22/2016)
2016-12-2216STIPULATION AND ORDER of Voluntary Dismissal. Signed by Judge Freda L. Wolfson on 12/22/2016. (mmh) (Entered: 12/22/2016)
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