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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv00417
Date Filed2019-02-19
Date Closed2020-02-11
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the extent to which Steve Bannon, Sean Hannity, or Raheem Kassam had played a role in the Trump administration's foreign policy in Europe. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, AO filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF 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

2019-02-191COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5954591) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons as to USAO, # 3 Summons as to AG, # 4 Summons as to State)(Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 02/19/2019)
2019-02-192LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 02/19/2019)
2019-02-19Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zef, ) (Entered: 02/19/2019)
2019-02-193SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Entered: 02/19/2019)
2019-02-214MOTION 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 0090-5957743. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 02/21/2019)
2019-02-22MINUTE ORDER: Granting 4 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Katherine Marie Anthony is hereby admitted pro hac vice to appear in this matter on behalf of Plaintiff. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 2/22/19. (DJS) (Entered: 02/22/2019)
2019-03-045RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/21/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/23/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 2/25/2019., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 2/25/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Clay M. Goode, # 2 Exhibit A)(Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 03/04/2019)
2019-03-256NOTICE of Appearance by Derek S. Hammond on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 03/25/2019)
2019-03-257ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 03/25/2019)
2019-04-01MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address 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, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues no later than 4/24/19. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/1/19. (DJS) (Entered: 04/01/2019)
2019-04-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/24/2019. (tb) (Entered: 04/02/2019)
2019-04-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/24/2019. (tb) (Entered: 04/03/2019)
2019-04-248Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 04/24/2019)
2019-05-06MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' Joint Status Report 8 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report and proposed order by June 4, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 5/6/19. (DJS) (Entered: 05/06/2019)
2019-05-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/4/2019. (tb) (Entered: 05/07/2019)
2019-06-049Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 06/04/2019)
2019-06-05MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joints status report 9 , it is hereby ordered that the U.S. Department of State shall process records potentially responsive to Plaintiff American Oversight's Freedom of Information Act request, making monthly rolling productions of responsive records, starting on or before June 28, 2019. Joint status report and proposed order due July 16, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 6/5/19. (DJS) (Entered: 06/05/2019)
2019-06-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/16/2019. (tb) (Entered: 06/07/2019)
2019-07-1610Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 07/16/2019)
2019-07-25MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 10 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint status report by August 15, 2019, and every 60 days thereafter. To the extent the report contains a proposed production or briefing schedule, the parties shall include a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/25/19. (DJS) (Entered: 07/25/2019)
2019-07-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/15/2019. (tb) (Entered: 07/31/2019)
2019-08-1511Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 08/15/2019)
2019-10-1112Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 10/11/2019)
2019-12-0913NOTICE of Appearance by William J. Chang on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Chang, William) (Entered: 12/09/2019)
2019-12-0914Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Chang, William) (Entered: 12/09/2019)
2020-02-1015STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 02/10/2020)
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