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Case TitlePIDOT v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv03090
Date Filed2019-10-15
Date Closed2021-01-25
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffJUSTIN R. PIDOT
Case DescriptionJustin Pidot, a professor of Environmental Law at the University of Arizona Law School, submitted two FOIA requests to the Department of Interior. Pidot's first FOIA request asked for records pertaining to Secretarial Order 3368 on promoting transparency and accountability in consent decrees and settlement agreements. Pidot also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told Pidot that he had been included in the educational institution category for fee purposes. Pidot's second FOIA request asked for records concerning a memo from the Bureau of Land Management concerning compensatory mitigation. Pidot also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told Pidot that he had been included in the educational institution fee category. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Pidot filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Documents
Docket
Complaint
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Complaint attachment 12
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Complaint attachment 14
Complaint attachment 15
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2019-10-151COMPLAINT for declaratory and injunctive relief against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-6448675) filed by Justin R Pidot. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Exhibit H, # 9 Exhibit I, # 10 Exhibit J, # 11 Civil Cover Sheet, # 12 Summons Summons to U.S. Department of the Interior, # 13 Summons Summons to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, # 14 Summons Summons to U.S. Attorney General, # 15 Notice and Consent)(Littleton, Matthew) (Entered: 10/15/2019)
2019-10-17Case assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zmc) (Entered: 10/17/2019)
2019-10-172SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Entered: 10/17/2019)
2019-10-173NOTICE, CONSENT, AND REFERENCE OF A CIVIL ACTION TO A MAGISTRATE JUDGE by JUSTIN R PIDOT (zmc) (Entered: 10/17/2019)
2019-11-214RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General October 24, 2019. (Attachments: # 1 Affidavit Affidavit of Service, # 2 Exhibit Proof of Service)(Littleton, Matthew) (Entered: 11/21/2019)
2019-11-215RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 10/25/2019. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 11/24/2019. (Attachments: # 1 Affidavit Affidavit of Service, # 2 Exhibit Proof of Service)(Littleton, Matthew) (Entered: 11/21/2019)
2019-11-216RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR served on 10/24/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Affidavit Affidavit of Service, # 2 Proof of Service)(Littleton, Matthew) (Entered: 11/21/2019)
2019-11-257ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.(Field, Brian) (Entered: 11/25/2019)
2019-11-258ORDER. The parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before December 9, 2019. See attached Order for further information. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/25/2019. (lcapm1) (Entered: 11/25/2019)
2019-11-25Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/9/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 11/26/2019)
2019-12-099Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 12/09/2019)
2019-12-10MINUTE ORDER. The parties are directed to file a joint status report by January 8, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/10/2019. (lcapm1) Modified on 12/10/2019. (lcapm1) (Entered: 12/10/2019)
2019-12-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/8/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 12/10/2019)
2020-01-0810Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 01/08/2020)
2020-01-09MINUTE ORDER. The parties are directed to file a joint status report by February 10, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/9/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 01/09/2020)
2020-01-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/10/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 01/09/2020)
2020-02-1011Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 02/10/2020)
2020-02-11MINUTE ORDER. The parties are directed to file a joint status report by March 10, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/11/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 02/11/2020)
2020-02-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/10/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 02/11/2020)
2020-03-1012Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 03/10/2020)
2020-03-11MINUTE ORDER. The parties are directed to file a joint status report by April 17, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/11/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/11/2020)
2020-03-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/17/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 03/17/2020)
2020-04-1713Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 04/17/2020)
2020-04-17MINUTE ORDER. The parties are directed to file a joint status report by May 18, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 4/17/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 04/17/2020)
2020-04-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/18/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 04/20/2020)
2020-05-1814Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order Def.'s Proposed Order, # 2 Text of Proposed Order Pls.' Proposed Order)(Field, Brian) (Entered: 05/18/2020)
2020-05-2015ORDER. The Parties shall submit another joint status report by June 18, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. See the attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/20/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 05/20/2020)
2020-05-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/18/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 05/21/2020)
2020-06-1816Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 06/18/2020)
2020-06-19MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit another joint status report by July 20, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 6/19/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 06/19/2020)
2020-06-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/20/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 06/23/2020)
2020-07-2017Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 07/20/2020)
2020-07-21MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit another joint status report by August 28, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 7/21/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 07/21/2020)
2020-07-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/28/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 07/21/2020)
2020-08-2818Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 08/28/2020)
2020-08-2919NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Joseph F. Carilli, Jr on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Brian J. Field (Carilli, Joseph) (Entered: 08/29/2020)
2020-08-3020MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit another joint status report by September 28, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 8/30/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 08/30/2020)
2020-08-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/28/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 08/31/2020)
2020-09-2821Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Carilli, Joseph) (Entered: 09/28/2020)
2020-09-29MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit another joint status report by October 28, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 9/29/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-09-29Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/28/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-10-2822Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Carilli, Joseph) (Entered: 10/28/2020)
2020-10-29MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit another joint status report by November 30, 2020, which updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/29/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 10/29/2020)
2020-10-29Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/30/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 10/30/2020)
2020-11-3023Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Carilli, Joseph) (Entered: 11/30/2020)
2020-11-30MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit another joint status report by January 8, 2021, that updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/30/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 11/30/2020)
2020-11-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/8/2021. (zjd) (Entered: 12/01/2020)
2021-01-0824Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Carilli, Joseph) (Entered: 01/08/2021)
2021-01-11MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall submit another joint status report by February 8, 2021, that updates the court on Defendant's search for and processing of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/11/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 01/11/2021)
2021-01-2425MOTION to Dismiss by JUSTIN R. PIDOT. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Littleton, Matthew) (Entered: 01/24/2021)
2021-01-25MINUTE ORDER. Defendant shall advise whether it objects to Plaintiff's Motion to Dismiss by January 28, 2021. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/25/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 01/25/2021)
2021-01-2526RESPONSE re 25 MOTION to Dismiss filed by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. (Carilli, Joseph) (Entered: 01/25/2021)
2021-01-25MINUTE ORDER granting Plaintiff's 25 Motion for Voluntary Dismissal. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/25/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 01/25/2021)
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