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Case TitleWILDEARTH GUARDIANS v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv00387
Date Filed2018-02-20
Date Closed2018-10-30
JudgeJudge Trevor N. McFadden
PlaintiffWILDEARTH GUARDIANS
Case DescriptionWildEarth Guardians submitted two FOIA requests to the Department of the Interior. WildEarth Guardians' first request concerned records related to a press release regarding the sale of federal oil and lease parcels for September 2017. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told WildEarth Guardians that it would take a 10-day extension to respond to the request. WildEarth Guardians submitted a second FOIA request for records concerning a presentation that Kate MacGregor, Assistant Secretary of Land and Minerals Management was scheduled to give at Grand Junction, Colorado before the Grand Junction Petroleum and Mining Club. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told WildEarth Guardians that it would take a 10-day extension to respond to that request as well. WildEarth Guardians contacted the agency to check the status of both requests, but after hearing nothing more substantive from the agency, WildEarth Guardians filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
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

2018-02-201COMPLAINT against DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5340496) filed by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS. (Attachments: # 1 Ex 1 - Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Ex 2 - Attorney General Summons, # 3 Ex 3 - Civil Process Clerk Summons, # 4 Ex 4 - Office of the Secretary Summons)(Wilcox, Stuart) (Entered: 02/20/2018)
2018-02-202Corporate Disclosure Statement by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS. (Wilcox, Stuart) (Entered: 02/20/2018)
2018-02-20Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (zmd) (Entered: 02/23/2018)
2018-02-233SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent) (zmd) (Entered: 02/23/2018)
2018-02-264STANDING ORDER Establishing Procedures for Cases Before Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The parties are hereby ORDERED to read and comply with the directives in the attached standing order. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 2/26/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 02/26/2018)
2018-03-225RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/13/2018. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/12/2018. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proof of Service of Summons)(Wilcox, Stuart) (Entered: 03/22/2018)
2018-03-266RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY served on 3/13/2018, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 3/13/2018. (See Docket Entry 5 to view document). (znmw) (Entered: 03/26/2018)
2018-04-127ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY.(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 04/12/2018)
2018-04-12MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court are a complaint and an answer in this FOIA case. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report proposing a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule should address, among other things, the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, and a briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if required. The parties shall file the schedule on or before May 3, 2018. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 4/12/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 04/12/2018)
2018-04-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/3/2018. (tg) (Entered: 04/12/2018)
2018-04-138NOTICE of Appearance by Kelly E. Nokes on behalf of WILDEARTH GUARDIANS (Nokes, Kelly) (Main Document 8 replaced on 4/16/2018) (ztd). (Entered: 04/13/2018)
2018-05-039Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 05/03/2018)
2018-05-04MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant shall endeavor, by May 31, 2018, to produce documents to Plaintiff responsive to request OS-2018-00089. Defendant shall endeavor, by May 31, 2018, to complete its search of potentially responsive documents to request OS-2018-00145. The parties shall submit a further Joint Status Report before or on June 13, 2018 detailing the status of Defendant's searches and productions, and proposing a briefing schedule or explanation of why a briefing schedule should not be set at that time. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 5/4/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 05/04/2018)
2018-05-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant's response to Order of the Court due by 5/31/2018. Joint Status Report due by 6/13/2018. (hmc) (Entered: 05/04/2018)
2018-06-1310Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/13/2018)
2018-06-13MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before July 26, 2018 regarding the status of Defendant's searches and productions, and proposing a briefing schedule or explanation of why a briefing schedule should not be set at that time. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 6/13/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 06/13/2018)
2018-06-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/26/2018. (hmc) (Entered: 06/13/2018)
2018-07-2511Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 07/25/2018)
2018-07-26MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties will submit a further status report on or before August 22, 2018. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 7/26/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 07/26/2018)
2018-07-27Set/Reset Deadlines: A further Joint Status Report is due by 8/22/2018. (hmc) (Entered: 07/27/2018)
2018-08-2112Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/21/2018)
2018-08-27MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further update on or before September 26, 2018. This update shall identify any outstanding issues to be litigated and propose a briefing schedule if required. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 8/27/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 08/27/2018)
2018-08-27Set/Reset Deadlines: A further Joint Status Report due by 9/26/2018. (hmc) (Entered: 08/27/2018)
2018-09-1813NOTICE of Change of Address by Kelly E. Nokes (Nokes, Kelly) (Entered: 09/18/2018)
2018-09-2614Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 09/26/2018)
2018-09-26MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further update on or before October 31, 2018. This update shall advise the Court on the status of efforts to resolve outstanding issues and shall propose a briefing schedule if necessary. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 9/26/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 09/26/2018)
2018-09-27Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/31/2018. (hmc) (Entered: 09/27/2018)
2018-10-3015NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by WILDEARTH GUARDIANS (Wilcox, Stuart) (Entered: 10/30/2018)
2018-10-30MINUTE ORDER DISMISSING CASE: Upon consideration of the parties' 15 Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice, it is hereby ORDERED that this case is DISMISSED with prejudice. Pursuant to the terms of the stipulation, each party shall bear its own costs, attorneys' fees, and expenses. The Clerk of the Court is directed to close the case. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 10/30/2018. (lctnm3) (Entered: 10/30/2018)
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