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Case TitleALLEN v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2017cv02656
Date Filed2017-12-12
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffMATTHEW ALLEN
Case DescriptionMatthew Allen, an employee at the Department of the Interior, submitted a FOIA request to the agency for records concerning himself and the reason for his demotion. The agency told Allen that his request needed to be processed through a number of different offices and that the cost of processing his request might cost $800. Allen agreed to pay the fees and the agency placed his request on its complex track. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Allen filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
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

2017-12-121COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5244025) filed by MATTHEW ALLEN. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Atkinson, Katherine) (Entered: 12/12/2017)
2017-12-12Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (md) (Entered: 12/14/2017)
2017-12-152SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent) (zmd) (Entered: 12/15/2017)
2017-12-203NOTICE of Appearance by Damon William Taaffe on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 12/20/2017)
2017-12-294RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 12/18/2017. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 1/17/2018. (Atkinson, Katherine) Modified date of service and answer deadline on 1/2/2018 (nmw). (Entered: 12/29/2017)
2017-12-295RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 12/18/2017. (Atkinson, Katherine) Modified date of service on 1/2/2018 (nmw). (Entered: 12/29/2017)
2017-12-296RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR served on 12/18/2017 (Atkinson, Katherine) Modified date of service on 1/2/2018 (nmw). (Entered: 12/29/2017)
2018-01-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer due by 1/17/2018, (nmw) (Entered: 01/02/2018)
2018-01-167ANSWER to 1 Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.(Taaffe, Damon) Modified to add link on 1/17/2018 (znmw). (Entered: 01/16/2018)
2018-01-178ORDER. Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before January 31, 2018. See attached Order for details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/17/2018. (lcapm3) Modified event title on 1/18/2018 (znmw). (zcdw). Modified on 1/19/2018 (zcdw). (Entered: 01/17/2018)
2018-01-19Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 1/31/2018. (zcdw) (Entered: 01/23/2018)
2018-01-319Joint STATUS REPORT by MATTHEW ALLEN. (Atkinson, Katherine) (Entered: 01/31/2018)
2018-02-01MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall appear for a Status Hearing in this matter on February 13, 2018, at 10:00 am, in Courtroom 10. Defendant should be prepared to advise the court approximately how many pages of responsive records remain after the "duplication within the records," ECF No. 9, is accounted for. Defendant also shall be prepared to address why 1,000 pages/month is the maximum number of pages it can process. Defendant may submit an affidavit in advance of the hearing addressing both of those issues if it wishes. The court also encourages the parties to meet and confer in advance of the hearing to try to reach agreement on a production schedule. If the parties are unable to do so, the court will set a production schedule at the hearing. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 02/01/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 02/01/2018)
2018-02-01Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Status Conference set for 2/13/2018 at 10:00 AM in Courtroom 10 before Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zcdw) (Entered: 02/04/2018)
2018-02-1210NOTICE of Filing -- Declaration of Agency FOIA Officer by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR re Order,,, (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 02/12/2018)
2018-02-13Minute Entry; for proceedings held before Judge Amit P. Mehta: Status Conference held on 2/13/2018. Parties advised to continue communicating working towards a mutual production schedule. Status Conference set for 4/13/2018 at 10:15 AM in Courtroom 10 before Judge Amit P. Mehta. (Court Reporter William Zaremba) (hs) (Entered: 02/13/2018)
2018-04-0311NOTICE of Appearance by Sherri L. Morgan on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (Morgan, Sherri) (Entered: 04/03/2018)
2018-04-13Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Amit P. Mehta: Status Conference held on 4/13/2018. Parties' joint status report due by 6/15/2018. (Court Reporter: William Zaremba) (zcdw) (Entered: 04/16/2018)
2018-06-1512TRANSCRIPT OF STATUS CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS before Judge Amit P. Mehta held on February 13, 2018; Page Numbers: 1-17. Date of Issuance: June 15, 2018. Court Reporter/Transcriber: William Zaremba; Telephone number: (202) 354-3249. Transcripts may be ordered by submitting the Transcript Order Form For the first 90 days after this filing date, the transcript may be viewed at the courthouse at a public terminal or purchased from th e court reporter referenced above. After 90 days, the transcript may be accessed via PACER. Other transcript formats, (multi-page, condensed, PDF or ASCII) may be purchased from the court reporter. NOTICE RE REDACTION OF TRANSCRIPTS: The parties have twenty-one days to file with the court and the court reporter any request to redact personal identifiers from this transcript. If no such requests are filed, the transcript will be made available to the public via PACER without redaction after 90 days. The policy, which includes the five personal identifiers specifically covered, is located on our website at www.dcd.uscourts.gov. Redaction Request due 7/6/2018. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 7/16/2018. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 9/13/2018.(wz) (Entered: 06/15/2018)
2018-06-1513TRANSCRIPT OF STATUS CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS before Judge Amit P. Mehta held on April 13, 2018; Page Numbers: 1-14. Date of Issuance: June 15, 2018. Court Reporter/Transcriber: William Zaremba; Telephone number: (202) 354-3249. Transcripts may be ordered by submitting the Transcript Order Form For the first 90 days after this filing date, the transcript may be viewed at the courthouse at a public terminal or purchased from the c ourt reporter referenced above. After 90 days, the transcript may be accessed via PACER. Other transcript formats, (multi-page, condensed, PDF or ASCII) may be purchased from the court reporter. NOTICE RE REDACTION OF TRANSCRIPTS: The parties have twenty-one days to file with the court and the court reporter any request to redact personal identifiers from this transcript. If no such requests are filed, the transcript will be made available to the public via PACER without redaction after 90 days. The policy, which includes the five personal identifiers specifically covered, is located on our website at www.dcd.uscourts.gov. Redaction Request due 7/6/2018. Redacted Transcript Deadline set for 7/16/2018. Release of Transcript Restriction set for 9/13/2018.(wz) (Entered: 06/15/2018)
2018-06-1514Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. (Morgan, Sherri) (Entered: 06/15/2018)
2018-06-20MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file a subsequent Joint Status Report describing their progress in resolving this case on or before September 18, 2018. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 06/20/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 06/20/2018)
2018-06-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/18/2018. (zjd) (Entered: 06/20/2018)
2018-09-1815Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Morgan, Sherri) (Entered: 09/18/2018)
2018-09-20MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file a subsequent Joint Status Report describing the status of production and proposing a briefing schedule, if necessary, on or before December 19, 2018. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 09/20/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 09/20/2018)
2018-09-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/19/2018. (zjd) (Entered: 09/21/2018)
2018-12-1916Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 12/19/2018)
2018-12-19MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit a Joint Status Report updating the court on the status of production on the 1st business day of January (excluding January 2019), April, July, and October, until the completion of production. Upon the end of production, within 30 days, the parties shall notify the court whether summary judgment briefing will be required and, if so, identify the areas of dispute and proposing a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/19/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 12/19/2018)
2019-02-1417NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Christopher Charles Hair on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Substituting for attorney Damon Taaffe (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 02/14/2019)
2019-04-0118Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 04/01/2019)
2019-07-0119Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 07/01/2019)
2019-10-0120Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 10/01/2019)
2020-01-0221Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 01/02/2020)
2020-04-0122Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 04/01/2020)
2020-07-0123Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 07/01/2020)
2020-10-0124Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 10/01/2020)
2020-12-2325NOTICE of Change of Address by Katherine Ruth Atkinson (Atkinson, Katherine) (Entered: 12/23/2020)
2020-12-29NOTICE OF ERROR re 25 Notice of Change of Address; emailed to katherine@wilkenfeldlaw.com, cc'd 5 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. FYI: Change of address should be processed in Pacer. (zeg, ) (Entered: 12/29/2020)
2021-01-0426Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 01/04/2021)
2021-04-0127Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 04/01/2021)
2021-06-3028Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 06/30/2021)
2021-09-2929Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 09/29/2021)
2021-12-2830Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 12/28/2021)
2022-04-07MINUTE ORDER. Per the court's Minute Order of December 19, 2018, the parties were to have filed a Joint Status Report in this case by April 1, 2022, but they did not do so. The parties shall file a Joint Status Report by April 11, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 04/06/2022. (lcapm3) (Entered: 04/07/2022)
2022-04-0731Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 04/07/2022)
2022-04-0832NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by John Moustakas on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Substituting for attorney Christopher C. Hair (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 04/08/2022)
2022-07-06MINUTE ORDER. Per the court's Minute Order of December 19, 2018, the parties were to have filed a Joint Status Report in this case by July 1, 2022, but they did not do so. The parties shall file a Joint Status Report by July 11, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 07/06/2022. (lcapm3) (Entered: 07/06/2022)
2022-07-1133Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 07/11/2022)
2022-07-12MINUTE ORDER. Consistent with the Minute Order entered on December 19, 2018, the parties next Joint Status Report shall be filed by October 3, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 07/12/2022. (lcapm3) (Entered: 07/12/2022)
2022-10-0334Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 10/03/2022)
2022-10-05MINUTE ORDER. Consistent with the Minute Order entered on December 19, 2018, the parties' next Joint Status Report shall be filed by January 3, 2023. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/05/2022. (lcapm3) Modified on 10/6/2022 (zjd). (Entered: 10/05/2022)
2023-01-0335Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 01/03/2023)
2023-01-04MINUTE ORDER. Consistent with the Minute Order entered on December 19, 2018, the parties' next Joint Status Report shall be filed by April 3, 2023. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/04/2023. (lcapm3) (Entered: 01/04/2023)
2023-04-0336Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 04/03/2023)
2023-04-04MINUTE ORDER. Consistent with the Minute Order entered on December 19, 2018, the parties' next Joint Status Report shall be filed by July 3, 2023. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 04/04/2023. (lcapm3) (Entered: 04/04/2023)
2023-07-11MINUTE ORDER. Per the court's Minute Order of April 4, 2023, the parties were to have filed a Joint Status Report by July 3, 2023, but did not do so. The parties shall file a Joint Status Report by July 18, 2023. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 07/11/2023. (lcapm3) (Entered: 07/11/2023)
2023-07-1837Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 07/18/2023)
2023-07-24MINUTE ORDER. The parties' next Joint Status Report shall be filed by October 9, 2023. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 07/24/2023. (lcapm2) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-10-1138Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 10/11/2023)
2024-01-0839NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by L'Shauntee J. Robertson on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Substituting for attorney John Moustakas (Robertson, L'Shauntee) (Entered: 01/08/2024)
2024-01-0840Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Robertson, L'Shauntee) (Entered: 01/08/2024)
2024-01-11MINUTE ORDER. Consistent with the Minute Order entered on December 19, 2018, the parties' next Joint Status Report shall be filed by April 1, 2024. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/11/2024. (lcapm3) (Entered: 01/11/2024)
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