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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv00948
Date Filed2020-04-10
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the SF-86 Form prepared for Ambassador Richard Grenell pertaining to his background check and security clearance. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, American Oversight filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
935 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20535
DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-04-101COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-7009613) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons USAO, # 3 Summons U.S. Att'y General, # 4 Summons U.S. Dep't of State)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-102LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-10Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zsb) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-04-103SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 04/10/2020)
2020-05-154RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/27/2020. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/27/2020.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 4/27/2020 (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 05/15/2020)
2020-05-155AMENDED COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Summons FBI)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 05/15/2020)
2020-05-186SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. (eg) (Entered: 05/18/2020)
2020-06-177NOTICE of Appearance by Paul A. Mussenden on behalf of FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 06/17/2020)
2020-06-188RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 6/8/2020. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 7/8/2020.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 6/8/20., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION served on 5/26/2020; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 6/16/2020 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 06/18/2020)
2020-07-079ANSWER to 5 Amended Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 07/07/2020)
2020-07-0810ORDER. Thee parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before July 22, 2020. See the attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 7/8/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 07/08/2020)
2020-07-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/22/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 07/08/2020)
2020-07-2211Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 07/22/2020)
2020-07-23MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by September 21, 2020, which updates the court on the status of Defendant's search and production efforts. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 7/23/2020. (lcapm1) (Entered: 07/23/2020)
2020-07-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/21/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 07/24/2020)
2020-09-2112Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 09/21/2020)
2020-09-22MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by October 5, 2020, which advises whether any outstanding disputes remain and, if so, proposes a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 9/22/2020. (lcapm1) Modified on 9/23/2020 (zjd). (Entered: 09/22/2020)
2020-09-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/5/2020. (zjd) (Entered: 09/23/2020)
2020-10-0513Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 10/05/2020)
2020-10-05MINUTE ORDER entering the briefing schedule proposed in the parties' 13 Joint Status Report. The schedule for further proceedings in this matter is as follows: (1) Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment is due on or before November 16, 2020; (2) Plaintiff's Opposition to Defendants' Motion and any Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment is due on or before December 14, 2020; (3) Defendants' Reply in Support of Summary Judgment and Opposition to any Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment is due on or before January 11, 2021; and (4) Plaintiff's Reply in Support of any Cross-Motion is due on or before January 18, 2021. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/05/2020. (lcapm3) (Entered: 10/05/2020)
2020-10-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Motion for Summary Judgment due by 11/16/2020. Cross-Motion and Opposition due by 12/14/2020. Opposition and Reply due by 1/11/2021. Reply due by 1/18/2021. (zjd) (Entered: 10/07/2020)
2020-11-1614MOTION for Summary Judgment by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Attachments: # 1 Statement of Facts, # 2 Declaration (Michael G. Seidel), # 3 Declaration (Eric F. Stein), # 4 Text of Proposed Order)(Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 11/16/2020)
2020-12-1415Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Statement of Facts, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Wood, Hart) (Entered: 12/14/2020)
2020-12-1416Memorandum in opposition to re 14 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 12/14/2020)
2021-01-0917Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply as to 15 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment , 14 MOTION for Summary Judgment by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 01/09/2021)
2021-01-11MINUTE ORDER granting Defendants' 17 Consent Motion for Extension of Time. Defendants' Reply in Support of their Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition to Plaintiff's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment shall be filed on or before February 3, 2021. Plaintiff's Reply in Support of its Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment shall be filed on or before February 12, 2021. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/11/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 01/11/2021)
2021-02-0218Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response/Reply as to 15 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 02/02/2021)
2021-02-02MINUTE ORDER granting Defendants' 18 Consent Motion for Extension of Time. Defendants' Reply and Opposition to Plaintiff's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment shall be filed on or before February 10, 2021. Plaintiff's Reply in Support of its Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment shall be filed on or before February 19, 2021. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/2/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 02/02/2021)
2021-02-1019REPLY to opposition to motion re 14 MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 02/10/2021)
2021-02-1020Memorandum in opposition to re 15 Cross MOTION for Summary Judgment filed by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Statement of Facts, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Mussenden, Paul) (Entered: 02/10/2021)
2021-02-1621NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Kristin Brudy-Everett on behalf of FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Substituting for attorney Paul A. Mussenden (Brudy-Everett, Kristin) (Entered: 02/16/2021)
2021-02-1922STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Wood, Hart) (Entered: 02/19/2021)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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