Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleLEOPOLD et al v. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv00780
Date Filed2020-03-20
Date Closed2023-06-20
JudgeJudge Amy Berman Jackson
PlaintiffJASON LEOPOLD
PlaintiffBUZZFEED, INC.
Case DescriptionBuzzFeed reporter Jason Leopold submitted three FOIA requests to the CIA for records concerning investigations closed in 2017. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency pertaining to any of his requests, Leopold filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

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

2020-03-201COMPLAINT against CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-6940200) filed by JASON LEOPOLD, BUZZFEED INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Civil Cover Sheet, # 6 Summons)(Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 03/20/2020)
2020-03-202NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of BUZZFEED INC., JASON LEOPOLD (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 03/20/2020)
2020-03-203LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by BUZZFEED INC. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 03/20/2020)
2020-03-204Case assigned to Judge Amy Berman Jackson. (zmc) (Entered: 03/20/2020)
2020-03-205SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Entered: 03/20/2020)
2020-04-246NOTICE of Appearance by Alan Burch on behalf of CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (Burch, Alan) (Entered: 04/24/2020)
2020-04-297Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (Burch, Alan) (Entered: 04/29/2020)
2020-04-29MINUTE ORDER granting 7 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Defendant must file a response to the complaint by May 29, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 4/29/2020. (lcabj3) (Entered: 04/29/2020)
2020-05-288Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (Burch, Alan) (Entered: 05/28/2020)
2020-05-29MINUTE ORDER granting 8 Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Defendant must submit a response to the complaint by June 29, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 5/29/2020. (lcabj3) (Entered: 05/29/2020)
2020-06-179RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY served on 3/30/2020 (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 06/17/2020)
2020-06-1710RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 3/30/2020. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 06/17/2020)
2020-06-1711RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/30/2020. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/29/2020. (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 06/17/2020)
2020-06-2912ANSWER to Complaint by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.(Burch, Alan) (Entered: 06/29/2020)
2020-06-3013ORDER. Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of Local Civil Rule 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure appear to be inapplicable. Defendant shall file a dispositive motion or, in the alternative, a report setting forth the schedule for the completion of its production of documents to plaintiffs, on or before July 28, 2020.SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 6/30/2020. (lcabj3) (Entered: 06/30/2020)
2020-06-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant shall file a dispositive motion or, in the alternative, a report setting forth the schedule for the completion of its production of documents to plaintiffs, by 7/28/2020. (jth) (Entered: 06/30/2020)
2020-07-2814STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Burch, Alan) (Entered: 07/28/2020)
2020-07-29MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 14 status report, defendant must submit another status report by September 28, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 7/29/2020. (lcabj3) (Entered: 07/29/2020)
2020-09-2515STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Burch, Alan) (Entered: 09/25/2020)
2020-09-3016STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Burch, Alan) (Entered: 09/30/2020)
2020-09-3017NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Marsha Wellknown Yee on behalf of CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Substituting for attorney Alan Burch (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 09/30/2020)
2020-09-30MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 16 status report, defendant must submit another status report by December 8, 2020. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 9/30/2020. (lcabj3) (Entered: 09/30/2020)
2020-12-0818STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 12/08/2020)
2020-12-08MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 18 status report, defendant must submit another status report by March 10, 2021. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 12/8/20. (lcabj2) (Entered: 12/08/2020)
2021-03-1019STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 03/10/2021)
2021-03-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 19 status report, defendant must submit another status report by June 17, 2021. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 3/11/21. (lcabj2) (Entered: 03/11/2021)
2021-06-1720STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 06/17/2021)
2021-06-17MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 20 status report, defendant must submit another status report by September 29, 2021. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 6/17/21. (lcabj2) (Entered: 06/17/2021)
2021-09-2921STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 09/29/2021)
2021-10-04MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 21 status report, defendant must submit another status report by January 14, 2022. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 10/4/21. (lcabj2) (Entered: 10/04/2021)
2022-01-1422STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 01/14/2022)
2022-01-18MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 22 status report, defendant must submit another status report by April 14, 2022. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 01/18/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 01/18/2022)
2022-04-1423STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 04/14/2022)
2022-04-14MINUTE ORDER. In light of defendant's 23 status report, defendant must submit another status report by July 20, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 04/14/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 04/14/2022)
2022-07-2024STATUS REPORT by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 07/20/2022)
2022-07-22MINUTE ORDER. The parties must confer and file a joint status report by August 12, 2022, which should include a proposed schedule for further proceedings, if necessary. The schedule may not call for simultaneous briefing of two motions for summary judgment. It should include a date for the filing of defendant's motion for summary judgment; plaintiff's opposition (and cross-motion for summary judgment, if any, to be supported by a single memorandum of points and authorities); defendant's reply (and cross-opposition, if necessary, to be supported by a single memorandum of points and authorities); and plaintiff's cross-reply, if necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 07/22/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 07/22/2022)
2022-08-1225Joint STATUS REPORT by BUZZFEED, INC., JASON LEOPOLD. (Loevy, Joshua) (Entered: 08/12/2022)
2022-08-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the 25 joint status report, it is ORDERED that defendant's motion for summary judgment will be due by December 8, 2022; plaintiff's opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment will be due by January 19, 2023; defendant's reply and cross-opposition will be due by February 16, 2023; and plaintiff's cross-reply will be due by March 16, 2023. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 08/15/2022.(lcabj2) (Entered: 08/15/2022)
2022-09-1526NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Dhruman Y. Sampat on behalf of CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Substituting for attorney Marsha W. Yee (Sampat, Dhruman) (Entered: 09/15/2022)
2022-11-2927Joint MOTION to Modify Briefing Schedule by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Sampat, Dhruman) (Entered: 11/29/2022)
2022-11-29MINUTE ORDER granting 27 Motion to Modify Briefing Schedule. It is ORDERED that defendant's motion for summary judgment will be due by January 23, 2023; plaintiff's opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment will be due by March 7, 2023; defendant's reply and cross-opposition will be due by April 4, 2023; and plaintiff's cross-reply will be due by May 2, 2023. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 11/29/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 11/29/2022)
2023-01-1928Joint MOTION to Modify Briefing Schedule by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Sampat, Dhruman) (Entered: 01/19/2023)
2023-01-20MINUTE ORDER granting 28 Motion to Modify Briefing Schedule. It is ORDERED that defendant's motion for summary judgment will be due by March 24, 2023; plaintiffs' opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment will be due by May 8, 2023; defendant's reply and cross-opposition will be due by June 5, 2023; and plaintiffs' cross-reply will be due by July 3, 2023. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 01/20/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 01/20/2023)
2023-02-2129NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of BUZZFEED, INC., JASON LEOPOLD (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 02/21/2023)
2023-02-22RESOLVED...NOTICE of Provisional/Government Not Certified Status re NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of BUZZFEED INC., JASON LEOPOLD (Wayne, Merrick), Your attorney renewal/government certification has not been received. As a result, your membership with the U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia is not in good standing, and you are not permitted to file. Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 83.9, you must immediately correct your membership status by following the appropriate instructions on this page of our website: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/attorney-renewal. Please be advised that the presiding judge in this case has been notified that you are currently not in good standing to file in this court. Renewal Due by 3/1/2023. (zbaj) Modified on 2/23/2023 (znmw). Modified on 3/2/2023 (zbaj). (Entered: 02/22/2023)
2023-03-2330Unopposed MOTION to Modify Briefing Schedule by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Sampat, Dhruman) (Entered: 03/23/2023)
2023-03-27MINUTE ORDER granting 30 Motion to Modify Briefing Schedule. It is ORDERED that defendant's motion for summary judgment will be due by May 23, 2023; plaintiffs' opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment will be due by July 7, 2023; defendant's reply and cross-opposition will be due by August 4, 2023; and plaintiffs' cross-reply will be due by September 1, 2023. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 03/27/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-05-2231Unopposed MOTION to Modify Briefing Schedule by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Sampat, Dhruman) (Entered: 05/22/2023)
2023-05-25MINUTE ORDER granting 31 Motion to Modify Briefing Schedule. It is ORDERED that defendant's motion for summary judgment will be due by June 22, 2023; plaintiffs' opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment will be due by August 7, 2023; defendant's reply and cross-opposition will be due by September 5, 2023; and plaintiffs' cross-reply will be due by October 2, 2023. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 05/25/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 05/25/2023)
2023-06-2032STIPULATION of Dismissal by CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. (Sampat, Dhruman) (Entered: 06/20/2023)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar