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Case TitleTHE JAMES MADISON PROJECT et al v. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv03060
Date Filed2019-10-14
Date Closed2020-07-17
JudgeJudge Emmet G. Sullivan
PlaintiffJAMES MADISON PROJECT
PlaintiffAUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
PlaintiffMARK WILLACY
Case DescriptionThe James Madison Project and Mark Willacy, a reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, submitted FOIA requests to the CIA, the Department of State, The Department of the Army, the National Security Agency, Central Command, and the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Defense. All but the Department of the Army, NSA, and Central Command acknowledged receipt of the request, but after hearing nothing further from any of the agencies, the James Madison Project and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation filed suit.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Attorney's fees, Failure to respond within statutory time limit

DefendantCENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF STATE
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2019-10-141COMPLAINT against CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-6445812) filed by THE JAMES MADISON PROJECT, MARK WILLACY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit Rule 7.1 certification (ABC), # 3 Exhibit Rule 7.1 certification (JMP), # 4 Summons CIA, # 5 Summons DoD, # 6 Summons State, # 7 Summons USADC, # 8 Summons USAG)(Moss, Bradley) (Entered: 10/14/2019)
2019-10-162LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, JAMES MADISON PROJECT, MARK WILLACY (zmc) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
2019-10-16Case assigned to Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. (zmc) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
2019-10-163SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
2019-10-244STANDING ORDER: The parties are directed to read the attached Standing Order Governing Civil Cases Before Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in its entirety upon receipt. The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the directives in the attached Standing Order Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 10/24/19. (Attachment: Exhibit 1) (mac) (Entered: 10/24/2019)
2019-11-225RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY served on 10/28/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit CIA receipt)(Moss, Bradley) (Entered: 11/22/2019)
2019-11-226RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE served on 10/28/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit DoD receipt)(Moss, Bradley) (Entered: 11/22/2019)
2019-11-227RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 10/28/2019. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit USAG receipt)(Moss, Bradley) (Entered: 11/22/2019)
2019-11-228RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 10/28/2019. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 11/27/2019. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit USADC receipt)(Moss, Bradley) (Entered: 11/22/2019)
2019-11-269NOTICE of Appearance by Damon William Taaffe on behalf of All Defendants (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 11/26/2019)
2019-11-2710Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 11/27/2019)
2019-12-05MINUTE ORDER granting 10 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint. Defendants shall file the answer or other response to Plaintiffs' complaint by no later than December 6, 2019. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 12/5/2019. (lcegs3) (Entered: 12/05/2019)
2019-12-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant Answer Or Otherwise Response To Plaintiffs' Complaint due by 12/6/2019, (mac) (Entered: 12/06/2019)
2019-12-0611ANSWER to Complaint by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 12/06/2019)
2019-12-06MINUTE ORDER. Plaintiffs bring this action pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"), 5 U.S.C. § 552. The parties are directed to meet and confer and propose a joint scheduling order for further proceedings in this case by no later than January 15, 2020. The parties' joint proposed scheduling order shall address the following: (1) The status of Plaintiffs' FOIA requests; (2) The anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiffs' FOIA requests; (3) The anticipated date(s) for release of documents responsive to Plaintiffs' FOIA requests; (4) Whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case; (5) Whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case; (6) Whether this case would benefit from referral to a magistrate judge or the District Court Mediation Program for purposes of settlement; and (7) A proposed briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if applicable. If the parties are unable to agree on a joint recommendation, the joint proposed scheduling order shall include each party's individual recommendations. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 12/6/2019. (lcegs3) (Entered: 12/06/2019)
2019-12-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Scheduling Order For Further Proceedings due by 1/15/2020. (mac) (Entered: 12/06/2019)
2020-01-1512Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 01/15/2020)
2020-01-1613NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Brenda A. Gonzalez on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Damon Taaffe (Gonzalez, Brenda) (Entered: 01/16/2020)
2020-01-16MINUTE ORDER. In view of the 12 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than February 14, 2020. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 1/16/2020. (lcegs3) (Entered: 01/16/2020)
2020-01-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/14/2020 (mac) (Entered: 01/17/2020)
2020-02-1414Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Gonzalez, Brenda) (Entered: 02/14/2020)
2020-02-20MINUTE ORDER. In view of the 14 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than March 16, 2020. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 2/20/2020. (lcegs3) (Entered: 02/20/2020)
2020-02-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/16/2020. (mac) (Entered: 02/20/2020)
2020-03-1615Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Gonzalez, Brenda) (Entered: 03/16/2020)
2020-03-17MINUTE ORDER. In view of the 15 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than April 30, 2020. In the event that the parties agree to dismiss this case, the parties shall file an appropriate stipulation. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 3/17/2020. (lcegs3) (Entered: 03/17/2020)
2020-03-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/30/2020. (mac) (Entered: 03/17/2020)
2020-04-3016Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Gonzalez, Brenda) (Entered: 04/30/2020)
2020-05-01MINUTE ORDER. In view of 16 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than June 15, 2020. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 5/1/2020. (lcegs3) (Entered: 05/01/2020)
2020-05-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/15/2020.(mac) (Entered: 05/01/2020)
2020-06-1517NOTICE of Appearance by Michael A. Tilghman on behalf of CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Tilghman, Michael) (Entered: 06/15/2020)
2020-06-1518Joint STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Tilghman, Michael) (Entered: 06/15/2020)
2020-06-15MINUTE ORDER. In view of 18 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than July 15, 2020. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 6/15/2020. (lcegs3) (Entered: 06/15/2020)
2020-06-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/15/2020. (mac) (Entered: 06/16/2020)
2020-07-1519Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report by AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, JAMES MADISON PROJECT, MARK WILLACY (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Moss, Bradley) (Entered: 07/15/2020)
2020-07-16MINUTE ORDER granting 19 unopposed motion for extension of time. The parties are directed to file a joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than July 17, 2020. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 7/16/2020. (lcegs3) (Entered: 07/16/2020)
2020-07-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/17/2020 (mac) (Entered: 07/17/2020)
2020-07-1720STIPULATION of Dismissal by AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, JAMES MADISON PROJECT, MARK WILLACY. (Moss, Bradley) (Entered: 07/17/2020)
2020-07-1721STIPULATION of Dismissal with Prejudice by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Tilghman, Michael) (Entered: 07/17/2020)
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