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Case TitleWESTERN VALUES PROJECT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv02527
Date Filed2019-08-21
Date Closed2020-09-17
JudgeJudge Trevor N. McFadden
PlaintiffWESTERN VALUES PROJECT
Case DescriptionWestern Values Project submitted a FOIA request to the Department of the Interior for records concerning communications between Secretary David Bernhardt and a number of outside companies, individuals, or organizations. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Western Values Project filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
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

2019-08-211COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6333480) filed by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons USAO, # 3 Summons U.S. Att'y General, # 4 Summons U.S. Dep't of the Interior)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 08/21/2019)
2019-08-212LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 08/21/2019)
2019-08-26Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (zsb) (Entered: 08/26/2019)
2019-08-263SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 08/26/2019)
2019-08-274STANDING 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 08/27/2019. (lctnm3) (Entered: 08/27/2019)
2019-09-195RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/27/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/26/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 9/3/19., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR served on 9/3/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 09/19/2019)
2019-09-266ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.(Seabrook, April) (Entered: 09/26/2019)
2019-09-27MINUTE 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 October 25, 2019. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 09/27/19. (lctnm1) (Entered: 09/27/2019)
2019-09-27Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/25/2019. (hmc) (Entered: 09/27/2019)
2019-10-237Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Seabrook, April) (Entered: 10/23/2019)
2019-10-23MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 7 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further report on or before December 15, 2019, updating the Court regarding the processing of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the production of records, any agreements or issues between the parties, and a recommendation for further proceedings. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 10/23/2019. (lctnm3) (Entered: 10/23/2019)
2019-10-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/15/2019. (hmc) (Entered: 10/24/2019)
2019-12-168Joint STATUS REPORT by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 12/16/2019)
2019-12-16MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another report on or before January 22, 2020, which shall update the Court regarding the status of the parties' negotiations and include a proposed schedule going forward. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 12/16/2019. (lctnm3) (Entered: 12/16/2019)
2019-12-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/22/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 12/16/2019)
2020-01-229Joint STATUS REPORT by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 01/22/2020)
2020-01-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further Joint Status Report on or before February 25, 2020, which shall update the Court regarding the status of the processing of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the production of records, any agreements or issues between the parties, and a recommendation for further proceedings. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 1/22/2020. (lctnm3) (Entered: 01/22/2020)
2020-01-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/25/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 01/22/2020)
2020-02-2510Joint STATUS REPORT by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 02/25/2020)
2020-02-25MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further Joint Status Report on or before April 15, 2020, which shall update the Court regarding any agreements or issues between the parties, and shall recommend a schedule for further proceedings as necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 2/25/2020. (lctnm3) (Entered: 02/25/2020)
2020-02-25Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/15/2020. (tg) (Entered: 02/25/2020)
2020-04-1411NOTICE of Appearance by Darrell C. Valdez on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Valdez, Darrell) (Entered: 04/14/2020)
2020-04-1512Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Valdez, Darrell) (Entered: 04/15/2020)
2020-04-16MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further Joint Status Report on or before June 1, 2020, which shall update the Court regarding any agreements or issues between the parties, and shall recommend a schedule for further proceedings as necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 4/16/2020. (lctnm3) (Entered: 04/16/2020)
2020-04-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/1/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 04/16/2020)
2020-06-0113Joint STATUS REPORT by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 06/01/2020)
2020-06-01MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further Joint Status Report on or before July 1, 2020, which shall update the Court regarding any agreements or issues between the parties, and shall recommend a schedule for further proceedings as necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 6/1/2020. (lctnm3) (Entered: 06/01/2020)
2020-06-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/1/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 06/02/2020)
2020-07-0114Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Valdez, Darrell) (Entered: 07/01/2020)
2020-07-01MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further Joint Status Report on or before August 3, 2020, which shall update the Court regarding any agreements or issues between the parties, and shall recommend a schedule for further proceedings as necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 7/1/2020. (lctnm3) (Entered: 07/01/2020)
2020-07-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/3/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 07/02/2020)
2020-08-0315Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Valdez, Darrell) (Entered: 08/03/2020)
2020-08-10MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another Joint Status Report on or before September 18, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 8/10/2020. (lctnm3) (Entered: 08/10/2020)
2020-08-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/18/2020. (hmc) (Entered: 08/10/2020)
2020-08-1216ENTERED IN ERROR.....NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF MOTION by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Seabrook, April) Modified on 8/18/2020 (eg). (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-1217NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. Attorney April Denise Seabrook terminated. (Seabrook, April) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-18NOTICE OF CORRECTED DOCKET ENTRY: re 16 Notice of Withdrawal of Motion was entered in error and counsel was instructed to refile said pleading with correct document. (eg) (Entered: 08/18/2020)
2020-09-1718STIPULATION of Dismissal by WESTERN VALUES PROJECT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 09/17/2020)
2020-09-17MINUTE ORDER. Pursuant to the parties' 18 Stipulation of Dismissal, this case is hereby DISMISSED. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). Each party shall bear its own costs and fees. The Clerk of Court is directed to close the case. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 9/17/2020. (lctnm3) (Entered: 09/17/2020)
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