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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv01201
Date Filed2019-04-25
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted two FOIA requests to the Department of Agriculture. The first FOIA request asked for records concerning conflict of interest issues presented by Secretary Sonny Perdue's business interests. AO's second FOIA request asked for records concerning communications between agency officials and Sen. David Perdue. The agency acknowledged receipt of both requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency pertaining to either request, 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 AGRICULTURE
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

2019-04-251COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6081415) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons USAO, # 3 Summons U.S. Att'y General, # 4 Summons Dept of Agriculture)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 04/25/2019)
2019-04-25Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (zef, ) (Entered: 04/25/2019)
2019-04-252SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Entered: 04/25/2019)
2019-04-253LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 04/25/2019)
2019-05-244Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Clark, Denise) (Entered: 05/24/2019)
2019-05-24MINUTE ORDER granting 4 motion for extension of time: It is hereby ORDERED that Defendant shall file its answer or other response to Plaintiff's complaint on or before June 26, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 5/24/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 05/24/2019)
2019-05-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer or other response to Plaintiff's complaint due by 6/26/2019, (hs) (Entered: 05/24/2019)
2019-06-265ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.(Clark, Denise) (Entered: 06/26/2019)
2019-06-26MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and jointly submit a proposed briefing schedule on or before July 10, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 6/26/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 06/26/2019)
2019-06-27Set/Reset Deadlines: Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 7/10/2019 (tj) (Entered: 06/27/2019)
2019-07-106ENTERED IN ERROR.....Joint MOTION for Extension of Time to File Status Report by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Clark, Denise); Modified on 7/10/2019 (tth). (Entered: 07/10/2019)
2019-07-10NOTICE OF ERROR re 6 Motion for Extension of Time to; emailed to denise.clark@usdoj.gov, cc'd 6 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Incorrect header/caption/case number, 2. Incorrect document/case, 3. Please refile document (ztth, ) (Entered: 07/10/2019)
2019-07-117Joint MOTION for Extension of Time to File Status Report by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Clark, Denise) (Entered: 07/11/2019)
2019-07-11MINUTE ORDER granting 7 motion for extension of time: it is hereby ORDERED that the joint proposed briefing schedule previously due by July 10, 2019 is now due by July 17, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 7/11/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 07/11/2019)
2019-07-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 7/17/2019 (tj) (Entered: 07/11/2019)
2019-07-12NOTICE OF ERROR re 7 Motion for Extension of Time to; emailed to denise.clark@usdoj.gov, cc'd 6 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Invalid attorney signature, 2. In future, ECF login must match signature on document; Do not refile. (znmw, ) (Entered: 07/12/2019)
2019-07-178Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Clark, Denise) (Entered: 07/17/2019)
2019-07-18MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 8 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before September 9, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 7/18/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 07/18/2019)
2019-07-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 9/9/2019. (tj) (Entered: 07/19/2019)
2019-09-099Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Clark, Denise) (Entered: 09/09/2019)
2019-09-09MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 9 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before November 12, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 09/09/2019. (lcrc1) (Entered: 09/09/2019)
2019-11-1210Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Clark, Denise) (Entered: 11/12/2019)
2019-11-12MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 10 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before January 14, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 11/12/2019. (lcrc1) (Entered: 11/12/2019)
2019-11-2611NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Michelle D. Jackson on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Denise M. Clark (Jackson, Michelle) (Entered: 11/26/2019)
2019-12-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 1/14/2020 (tj) (Entered: 12/11/2019)
2020-01-1412Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 01/14/2020)
2020-01-14MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 12 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before March 16, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 1/14/2020. (lcrc1) (Entered: 01/14/2020)
2020-01-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 3/16/2020 (tj) (Entered: 01/15/2020)
2020-03-1613Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Jackson, Michelle) (Entered: 03/16/2020)
2020-03-16MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 13 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before May 18, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 3/16/2020. (lcrc1) (Entered: 03/16/2020)
2020-03-18Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 5/18/2020 (tj) (Entered: 03/18/2020)
2020-05-1514NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Kristin Brudy-Everett on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Substituting for attorney Michelle D. Jackson (Brudy-Everett, Kristin) (Entered: 05/15/2020)
2020-05-1815Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 05/18/2020)
2020-05-18MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 15 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before July 20, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 5/18/2020. (lcrc1) (Entered: 05/18/2020)
2020-05-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 7/20/2020 (tj) (Entered: 05/19/2020)
2020-07-2016Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 07/20/2020)
2020-07-20MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 16 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before September 21, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 7/20/2020. (lcrc1) (Entered: 07/20/2020)
2020-07-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 9/21/2020. (tj) (Entered: 07/21/2020)
2020-09-2117Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Brudy-Everett, Kristin) (Entered: 09/21/2020)
2020-09-21MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 17 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a joint status report on or before November 20, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 09/21/2020. (lcrc1) (Entered: 09/21/2020)
2020-09-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 11/20/2020. (tj) (Entered: 09/22/2020)
2020-11-1918STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 11/19/2020)
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