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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv00224
Date Filed2018-01-31
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted four FOIA requests to the Department of Justice for records concerning the agency's decision to share text messages between FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page with the media and records concerning the investigation of the incident by the Office of Inspector General. American Oversight also requested expedited processing. Some components of DOJ granted American Oversight's request for expedited processing while others had not responded by the time American Oversight filed suit. After hearing nothing further from the agency, American Oversight filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees, Adequacy - Search

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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
Complaint attachment 11
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2018-01-311COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5311883) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Civil Cover Sheet, # 9 Summons for USAO, # 10 Summons For AG, # 11 Summons For DOJ)(Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 01/31/2018)
2018-01-312LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 01/31/2018)
2018-01-31Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (jd) (Entered: 02/01/2018)
2018-02-023SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(jd) (Entered: 02/02/2018)
2018-02-074ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 2/8/2018. (DM) (Entered: 02/07/2018)
2018-02-155RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/9/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/11/2018.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 2/9/18., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 2/9/2018 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 02/15/2018)
2018-03-126NOTICE of Appearance by Vinita Balakrishnan Andrapalliyal on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 03/12/2018)
2018-03-127ANSWER to 1 Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Andrapalliyal, Vinita) Modified to add link on 3/13/2018 (znmw). (Entered: 03/12/2018)
2018-03-208ORDER. The parties shall file the schedule not later than APRIL 19, 2018 . Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on March 20, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 03/20/2018)
2018-03-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Schedule due by 4/19/2018. (dot) (Entered: 03/22/2018)
2018-04-199Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 04/19/2018)
2018-05-03MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, which indicates that Defendant's Office of Information Policy, the Office of the Inspector General, the Office of Legal Counsel, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are at varying stages of their review and production of documents in response to Plaintiff's FOIA requests. The Court adopts the parties' proposal that they submit a further Joint Status Report by MAY 30, 2018 , that indicates the volume of potentially responsive documents that remain to be reviewed, proposes a schedule for the completion of production, and identifies a briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on May 3, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 05/03/2018)
2018-05-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/30/2018. (dot) (Entered: 05/08/2018)
2018-05-3010Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 05/30/2018)
2018-06-08MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, which indicates that Defendant's Office of Information Policy, the Office of the Inspector General, the Office of Legal Counsel, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have made further progress in their review and production of documents in response to Plaintiff's FOIA requests. The parties shall submit a further Joint Status Report by SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 , that confirms whether Defendant has completed its production and identifies a briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on June 8, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 06/08/2018)
2018-06-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/14/2018, that confirms whether Defendant has completed its production and identifies a briefing schedule. (dot) (Entered: 06/08/2018)
2018-08-2711MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Katherine M. Anthony, :Firm- American Oversight, :Address- 1030 15th Street NW B-255, Washington, DC 20005. Phone No. - (202) 897-3918. Fax No. - (202) 871-6523 Filing fee $ 100, receipt number 0090-5659730. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 08/27/2018)
2018-08-29MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the 11 Motion for Admission Pro Hac Vice , with respect to Katherine M. Anthony. That motion is hereby GRANTED. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on August 29, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 08/29/2018)
2018-09-1412Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 09/14/2018)
2018-09-17MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, which indicates that the Office of the Inspector General, the Office of Legal Counsel, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have completed their processing and, if applicable, production in response to Plaintiff's FOIA requests. Defendant's Office of Information Policy has made further progress in its review of documents and intends to issue rolling responses to Plaintiff that are expected to conclude by October 19, 2018. The parties shall submit a further Joint Status Report by NOVEMBER 2, 2018 , that confirms whether Defendant has completed its production and identifies a briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on September 17, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 09/17/2018)
2018-09-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/2/2018, that confirms whether Defendant has completed its production and identifies a briefing schedule, if necessary. (dot) (Entered: 09/19/2018)
2018-11-0213Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 11/02/2018)
2018-11-06MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, which indicates that Defendant's Office of Information Policy has completed its production and that Plaintiff is in the midst of reviewing the same. The parties shall submit a further Joint Status Report by DECEMBER 3, 2018 , that indicates whether Plaintiff intends to challenge Defendant's production and identifies a briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on November 6, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 11/06/2018)
2018-11-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/3/2018, that indicates whether Plaintiff intends to challenge Defendant's production and identifies a briefing schedule, if necessary. (dot) (Entered: 11/09/2018)
2018-12-0314Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 12/03/2018)
2018-12-04MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, which indicates that "[t]he parties are working on resolving Plaintiff's claims without the need for further litigation." Accordingly, the Court shall adopt the parties' proposal that they submit a further Joint Status Report by JANUARY 3, 2019 . That Joint Status Report shall indicate whether this matter has been fully resolved and propose a schedule for any further proceedings. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on December 4, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
2018-12-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/3/2019, indicating whether this matter has been fully resolved and propose a schedule for any further proceedings. (dot) (Entered: 12/04/2018)
2018-12-2615MOTION to Stay Joint Status Report Deadline in Light of Lapse of Appropriations by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 12/26/2018)
2018-12-27MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received Defendant U.S. Department of Justice's 15 Motion for a Stay. Defendant indicates that Plaintiff takes no position on a tolling of deadlines commensurate with a short lapse in appropriations to the U.S. Department of Justice, but opposes a general stay of this matter. At this time, it is not possible to determine how long the lapse of appropriations will last. Accordingly, in an exercise of the Court's discretion, the Court shall GRANT Defendant's 15 Motion. The Court shall STAY the deadline for the Joint Status Report otherwise due by January 3, 2019. The deadline is tolled commensurate with the length of the lapse of appropriations to the Department. The parties shall file a notice within two business days of the restoration of the Department's funding and the resumption of its operations. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on December 27, 2018. (lcckk1) (Entered: 12/27/2018)
2019-01-2816NOTICE of Restoration of Appropriations by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 01/28/2019)
2019-01-29MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received Defendant's 16 Notice to the Court of Restoration of Appropriations. Accordingly, the Court hereby LIFTS the stay in this matter. The Court shall adopt Defendant's proposed revised deadline for the parties' next Joint Status Report, which shall be submitted by FEBRUARY 1, 2019 . Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on January 29, 2019. (lcckk1) (Entered: 01/29/2019)
2019-02-0117Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Andrapalliyal, Vinita) (Entered: 02/01/2019)
2019-02-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties shall submit a stipulation of voluntary dismissal or a further Joint Status Report due by 3/7/2019. (dot) (Entered: 02/04/2019)
2019-02-04MINUTE ORDER: The Court has received the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, which indicates that "[t]he parties have reached an agreement-in-principle to resolve Plaintiff's claims without the need for further litigation and are working to finalize the agreement." Accordingly, the parties shall submit a stipulation of voluntary dismissal or a further Joint Status Report by MARCH 7, 2019 . Any Joint Status Report shall identify the status of efforts to finalize the parties' agreement and shall propose a schedule for completing proceedings in this case. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on February 4, 2019. (lcckk1) (Entered: 02/04/2019)
2019-03-0518STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 03/05/2019)
2019-03-0519ORDER. This case is DISMISSED. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on March 5, 2019. (lcckk1) (Entered: 03/05/2019)
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