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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv00914
Date Filed2019-04-01
Date Closed2021-11-08
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted three FOIA requests to the Department of Justice for records concerning communications with outside parties pertaining to judicial nominations. AO also requested expedited processing for its first two requests because they were submitted during a Supreme Court vacancy. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests and denied AO's requests for expedited processing. 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 JUSTICE
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

2019-04-011COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6033124) filed by American Oversight. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 04/01/2019)
2019-04-012LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by American Oversight (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 04/01/2019)
2019-04-02Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zef, ) (Entered: 04/02/2019)
2019-04-023SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Entered: 04/02/2019)
2019-05-034RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/2/2019. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/2/2019. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 05/03/2019)
2019-05-085NOTICE of Appearance by Kevin Matthew Snell on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 05/08/2019)
2019-05-086Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond to the Complaint Nunc Pro Tunc by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 05/08/2019)
2019-05-087ENTERED IN ERROR. . . . .ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - July 6, 2018 FOIA Request, # 2 Exhibit B - July 9, 2018 FOIA Request, # 3 Exhibit C - July 24, 2018 FOIA Request, # 4 Exhibit D - July 16, 2018 Letter, # 5 Exhibit E - August 17, 2018 Letter)(Snell, Kevin) Modified on 5/9/2019 (ztd). (Entered: 05/08/2019)
2019-05-09NOTICE OF ERROR re 7 Answer to Complaint; emailed to kevin.snell@usdoj.gov, cc'd 2 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. This should have been an attachment to your motion for leave to file. The court must grant leave to file. (ztd, ) (Entered: 05/09/2019)
2019-05-098Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond to the Complaint Nunc Pro Tunc by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order, # 2 Exhibit Answer, # 3 Exhibit A to Answer - July 6, 2018 FOIA Request, # 4 Exhibit B to Answer - July 9, 2018 FOIA Request, # 5 Exhibit C to Answer - July 24, 2018 FOIA Request, # 6 Exhibit D to Answer - July 16, 2018 Letter, # 7 Exhibit E to Answer - August 17, 2018 Letter)(Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 05/09/2019)
2019-05-09MINUTE ORDER : Granting 8 Consent Motion for Extension of Deadlines. Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint by May 9, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 5/9/19. (DJS) (Entered: 05/09/2019)
2019-05-099ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Snell, Kevin) Modified filing date on 5/10/2019 (ztd). (Entered: 05/10/2019)
2019-05-0910ERRATA Filing of Exhibits to Answer by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 9 Answer to Complaint filed by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A to Answer - July 6, 2018 FOIA Request, # 2 Exhibit B to Answer - July 9, 2018 FOIA Request, # 3 Exhibit C to Answer - July 24, 2018 FOIA Request, # 4 Exhibit D to Answer - July 16, 2018 Letter, # 5 Exhibit E to Answer - August 17, 2018 Letter)(Snell, Kevin) Modified filing date on 5/10/2019 (ztd). (Entered: 05/10/2019)
2019-05-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer due by 5/9/2019. (tb) (Entered: 05/10/2019)
2019-05-17MINUTE 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 6/17/19. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 5/17/19. (DJS) (Entered: 05/17/2019)
2019-05-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/17/2019. (tb) (Entered: 05/20/2019)
2019-06-1711Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 06/17/2019)
2019-06-18MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joints status report 11 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report and proposed order by July 12, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 6/18/19. (DJS) (Entered: 06/18/2019)
2019-06-18Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/12/2019. (tb) (Entered: 06/18/2019)
2019-07-1212Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 07/12/2019)
2019-07-26MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 12 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report and proposed order by November 13, 2019. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/26/19. (DJS) (Entered: 07/26/2019)
2019-07-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/13/2019. (tb) (Entered: 07/30/2019)
2019-11-1213Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 11/12/2019)
2019-11-13MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 13 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report by January 30, 2020 and every 60 days thereafter. The report shall include a proposed order to the extent the parties propose a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 11/13/19. (DJS) (Entered: 11/13/2019)
2019-11-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/30/2020. (tb) (Entered: 11/14/2019)
2020-01-3014Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 01/30/2020)
2020-03-3015Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 03/30/2020)
2020-05-2916Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 05/29/2020)
2020-07-2817Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 07/28/2020)
2020-09-2818Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 09/28/2020)
2020-11-2419Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 11/24/2020)
2021-01-2520Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 01/25/2021)
2021-03-2621Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 03/26/2021)
2021-04-2822NOTICE of Appearance by Katherine Marie Anthony on behalf of AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 04/28/2021)
2021-04-2923NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. Attorney Daniel Alexander McGrath terminated. (McGrath, Daniel) (Entered: 04/29/2021)
2021-05-2524Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Snell, Kevin) (Entered: 05/25/2021)
2021-07-2625Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 07/26/2021)
2021-09-2326STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Anthony, Katherine) (Entered: 09/23/2021)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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