Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleSPARACINO PLLC v. DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv00497
Date Filed2020-02-20
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Jia M. Cobb
PlaintiffSPARACINO PLLC
Case DescriptionThe law firm of Sparacino PLLC submitted four FOIA requests to the Defense Intelligence Agency for records concerning Jaysh-al-Mahdi or Hezbollah operatives, as well as records on the role of the Iraqi Ministry of Health in terrorist activities in Iraq. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency Sparacino PLLC filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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
Complaint attachment 9
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-02-201COMPLAINT FOR VIOLATION OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT against DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-6848628) filed by SPARACINO PLLC. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Civil Cover Sheet, # 7 Summons to DIA, # 8 Summons to DOJ, # 9 Summons to USAO DC)(Branson, Joshua) (Entered: 02/20/2020)
2020-02-202NOTICE of Appearance by Andrew Edward Goldsmith on behalf of SPARACINO PLLC (Goldsmith, Andrew) (Entered: 02/20/2020)
2020-02-203NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew M. Duffy on behalf of SPARACINO PLLC (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 02/20/2020)
2020-02-21Case Assigned to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. (adh, ) (Entered: 02/21/2020)
2020-02-214SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (adh, ) (Entered: 02/21/2020)
2020-02-285GENERAL ORDER AND GUIDELINES APPLICABLE TO FOIA CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON. The Court will hold the parties and counsel responsible for following these directives, and parties and counsel should pay particular attention to the Court's instructions for processing and production of records, batching motions, and filing exhibits. Failure to adhere to this Order may, when appropriate, result the imposition of sanctions and/or sua sponte denial of non-conforming motions. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 2/28/2020. (jag) (Entered: 02/28/2020)
2020-03-176RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/26/2020. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/27/2020. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 03/17/2020)
2020-03-177RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 2/26/2020. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 03/17/2020)
2020-03-178RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY served on 2/25/2020 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 03/17/2020)
2020-03-269Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (Attachments: # 1 Declaration Brobeck Declaration)(Moustakas, John) (Entered: 03/26/2020)
2020-04-02MINUTE ORDER granting, for good cause shown, 9 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. It is hereby ORDERED that, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Defendant's obligation to answer or otherwise respond to the complaint is STAYED until further Order of this Court. It is FURTHER ORDERED that, within 5 days of resumption of operations in Defendant's FOIA branch, Defendant shall file a notice with this Court, at which time the Court will set a deadline for Defendant to answer the complaint. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 4/2/2020. (jag) (Entered: 04/02/2020)
2021-05-05MINUTE ORDER. It is hereby ORDERED that, on or before 5/19/2021, the parties shall file a joint status report, which shall include a proposed schedule for further proceedings if litigation is going to be necessary. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 5/5/2021. (jag) (Entered: 05/05/2021)
2021-05-1910Joint STATUS REPORT and Request to Lift Stay by SPARACINO PLLC. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Branson, Joshua) (Entered: 05/19/2021)
2021-05-1911AMENDED COMPLAINT for Violation of the Freedom of Information Act against DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY filed by SPARACINO PLLC. (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 Redline Against Original Complaint)(Branson, Joshua) (Entered: 05/19/2021)
2021-05-1912MOTION to Lift Stay by SPARACINO PLLC. (See Docket Entry 10 to view document) (zjf) (Entered: 05/19/2021)
2021-06-09MINUTE ORDER granting 12 Motion to Lift Stay. Signed by Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on 6/9/2021. (jag) (Entered: 06/09/2021)
2021-06-29Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been elevated to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She is therefore no longer assigned to this case, and this matter has been reassigned to the Calendar Committee, which will oversee it until it is assigned to another district judge. Any questions should be directed to Judge Jackson's former deputy clerk, Gwendolyn Franklin, at 202-354-3145 or gwen_franklin@dcd.uscourts.gov. (rj) (Entered: 06/29/2021)
2021-11-15Case directly reassigned to Judge Jia M. Cobb. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been appointed to the D.C. Circuit and is no longer assigned to the case. (rj) (Entered: 11/15/2021)
2021-12-14MINUTE ORDER: This case was recently reassigned to the undersigned judge. The Court directs the Parties to file a Joint Status Report apprising it of the status of this matter by January 11, 2022. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on December 14, 2021. (lcjmc2) (Entered: 12/14/2021)
2022-01-1113Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Branson, Joshua) (Entered: 01/11/2022)
2022-01-12MINUTE ORDER re 13 Status Report filed by SPARACINO PLLC: The Court has reviewed the Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file another Joint Status Report by March 11, 2022. Defendant is also ORDERED to file its Answer to Plaintiff's Amended Complaint by March 11, 2022. (lcjmc3) (Entered: 01/12/2022)
2022-03-1114Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 03/11/2022)
2022-03-14MINUTE ORDER re 14 Status Report filed by SPARACINO PLLC: The Court has reviewed the Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file another Joint Status Report by May 6, 2022. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on March 14, 2022. (lcjmc3) (Entered: 03/14/2022)
2022-05-0615Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 05/06/2022)
2022-05-09MINUTE ORDER re 15 Joint Status Report by SPARACINO PLLC: The Court has reviewed the Joint Status Report and directs the Parties to file another Joint Status Report by July 8, 2022. It is further ORDERED that the Parties shall file status reports every 90 days thereafter until further order of the Court. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on May 9, 2022. (lcjmc3) (Entered: 05/09/2022)
2022-07-0816Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 07/08/2022)
2022-10-0617Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 10/06/2022)
2023-01-0418Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 01/04/2023)
2023-04-0519Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 04/05/2023)
2023-07-0720Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 07/07/2023)
2023-10-0521Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 10/05/2023)
2024-01-0322Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Duffy, Matthew) (Entered: 01/03/2024)
2024-01-2523NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Jeremy S. Simon on behalf of DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Substituting for attorney John Moustakas (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/25/2024)
2024-01-2524ERRATA by DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY re 23 Substitution of Counsel. (Attachments: # 1 Corrected Notice of Appearance and Substitution of Counsel)(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/25/2024)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar