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Case TitleMacDougal v. U.S. Department of Justice
DistrictSouthern District of New York
CityFoley Square
Case Number1:2020cv01574
Date Filed2020-02-21
Date Closed2020-07-17
JudgeJudge Lewis J. Liman
PlaintiffIan MacDougal
Case DescriptionIan MacDougall, a freelance journalist, submitted a FOIA request to Justice Management Division at the Department of Justice for records concerning data from the Consolidated Asset Tracking System pertaining to real property subject to forfeiture where the property's address has been publicly disclosed. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, MacDougall filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Recovery of Costs

DefendantU.S. Department of Justice
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Opinion/Order [7]
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-02-211CIVIL COVER SHEET filed..(rdz) (Entered: 02/24/2020)
2020-02-212COMPLAINT against U.S. Department of Justice. (Filing Fee $ 400.00, Receipt Number 465401255216)Document filed by Ian MacDougal.(rdz) (Entered: 02/24/2020)
2020-02-21Case Designated ECF. (rdz) (Entered: 02/24/2020)
2020-02-21SUMMONS ISSUED as to U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General..(rdz) (Entered: 02/24/2020)
2020-02-21Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave is so designated. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73(b)(1) parties are notified that they may consent to proceed before a United States Magistrate Judge. Parties who wish to consent may access the necessary form at the following link: https://nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/AO-3.pdf . (rdz) (Entered: 02/24/2020)
2020-02-284ORDER: Initial Conference set for 3/17/2020 at 03:15 PM in Courtroom 15C, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Lewis J. Liman. (Signed by Judge Lewis J. Liman on 2/28/2020) (va) (Entered: 02/28/2020)
2020-03-095NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by Melissa A. Childs on behalf of U.S. Department of Justice..(Childs, Melissa) (Entered: 03/09/2020)
2020-03-106JOINT LETTER MOTION to Adjourn Conference scheduled for March 17, 2020 at 3:15 p.m. until after April 10, 2020 pending agency production or position for further scheduling addressed to Judge Lewis J. Liman from AUSA Melissa Childs and Pro Se Plantiff Ian MacDougall dated 03/10/2020. Document filed by U.S. Department of Justice..(Childs, Melissa) (Entered: 03/10/2020)
2020-03-107ORDER granting 6 Letter Motion to Adjourn Conference. GRANTED. The parties shall submit a joint letter to the Court by April 10, 2020. The conference previously scheduled for March 17, 2020 is adjourned until April 14, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. The parties will not be required to submit a case management plan. SO ORDERED. Initial Conference set for 4/14/2020 at 03:30 PM before Judge Lewis J. Liman. (Signed by Judge Lewis J. Liman on 3/10/2020) (va) (Entered: 03/10/2020)
2020-03-258ANSWER to 2 Complaint. Document filed by U.S. Department of Justice..(Childs, Melissa) (Entered: 03/25/2020)
2020-04-109JOINT LETTER MOTION to Adjourn Conference set for April 14, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. addressed to Judge Lewis J. Liman from AUSA Melissa Childs and Pro Se Plaintiff Ian MacDougall dated 04/10/2020. Document filed by U.S. Department of Justice..(Childs, Melissa) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-1010ORDER granting 9 Letter Motion to Adjourn Conference. The Initial Pretrial Conference is ADJOURNED to July 7, 2020 at 10:00 AM in Courtroom 15C, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Lewis J. Liman. (HEREBY ORDERED by Judge Lewis J. Liman)(Text Only Order) (mg) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-07-0111FILING ERROR - DEFICIENT DOCKET ENTRY - SIGNATURE ERROR - STIPULATION OF VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between the parties and/or their respective counsel(s) that the above-captioned action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice against the defendant(s) All Parties and without costs. Document filed by U.S. Department of Justice. Proposed Order to be reviewed by Clerk's Office staff. ..(Childs, Melissa) Modified on 7/2/2020 (km). (Entered: 07/01/2020)
2020-07-02***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING DEFICIENT VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL. Notice to Attorney Melissa Childs. RE-FILE Document No. 11 Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal. The filing is deficient for the following reason(s): the stipulation needs to have handwritten signatures of the parties. Re-file the document using the event type Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal found under the event list Other Documents - select the correct filer/filers - select the correct party/parties the voluntary dismissal is against - and attach the correct signed PDF. (km) (Entered: 07/02/2020)
2020-07-02ORDER: The Initial Pretrial Conference scheduled for July 7, 2020 is CANCELLED. Defendant is directed to notify Plaintiff of this Order. (HEREBY ORDERED by Judge Lewis J. Liman) (Text Only Order) (mf) (Entered: 07/03/2020)
2020-07-1612FILING ERROR - DEFICIENT DOCKET ENTRY - STIPULATION OF VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between the parties and/or their respective counsel(s) that the above-captioned action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice against the defendant(s) All Parties and without costs pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Document filed by U.S. Department of Justice. Proposed document to be reviewed and processed by Clerk's Office staff (No action required by chambers). ..(Childs, Melissa) Modified on 7/16/2020 (km). (Entered: 07/16/2020)
2020-07-16***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING DEFICIENT VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL. Notice to Attorney Melissa Childs. RE-FILE Document No. 12 Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal. The filing is deficient for the following reason(s): Your document and docket text do not match. Re-file document and when filing, do not select that the dismissal is pursuant to Rule 41(a), your document does not state that it is. If you want the document "so ordered" by the Judge (you have a signature line for the Judge to sign at the bottom of the document) you would need to change the title of the document to a stipulation and order and file it under proposed orders, proposed stipulation and order. (km) (Entered: 07/16/2020)
2020-07-1613PROPOSED STIPULATION AND ORDER. Document filed by U.S. Department of Justice..(Childs, Melissa) (Entered: 07/16/2020)
2020-07-1714JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL: NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED, by and between Plaintiff and DOJ that: 1. Plaintiff releases and discharges DOJ from any and all claims and causes of action that Plaintiff asserted - or could have asserted - in this litigation arising out of the FOIA request particularly described in the complaint. 2. This action is hereby dismissed with prejudice and without costs or attorneys' fees to any party. 3. Plaintiff and DOJ understand and agree that this Stipulation and Order contains the entire agreement between them. No statements, representations, promises, agreements, or negotiations, oral or otherwise, between Plaintiff and DOJ that are not included herein shall be of any force or effect. 4. This Stipulation may be executed in counterparts including, without limitation, by PDF or email signature, each of which will be deemed an original and all of which will be taken together and deemed one instrument. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Lewis J. Liman on 7/17/2020) (va) (Entered: 07/17/2020)
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