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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv02667
Date Filed2020-09-21
Date Closed2021-04-28
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Transportation for records concerning emails between the Federal Highway Administration and the District of Columbia's Department of Transportation pertaining to the paining of Black Lives Manner on the pavement on 16th St. NW. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
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

2020-09-211COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-7616151) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 09/21/2020)
2020-09-212LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 09/21/2020)
2020-09-21Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zsb) (Entered: 09/21/2020)
2020-09-213SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 09/21/2020)
2020-09-304RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 9/28/2020. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 10/28/2020. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 09/30/2020)
2020-09-305RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 09/28/20. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 09/30/2020)
2020-09-306RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION served on 9/28/2020 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 09/30/2020)
2020-10-267MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Truong, John) (Entered: 10/26/2020)
2020-10-26MINUTE ORDER: Granting 7 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint by 11/27/2020. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 10/26/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 10/26/2020)
2020-10-27Set/Reset Deadlines: Answer due by 11/27/2020. (tb) (Entered: 10/27/2020)
2020-11-198Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Truong, John) (Entered: 11/19/2020)
2020-11-20MINUE ORDER: Granting Consent 8 Motion for Extension of Deadlines. Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint by 12/11/20. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 11/20/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 11/20/2020)
2020-11-20Set/Reset Deadline: Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint by 12/11/20. (jth) (Entered: 11/22/2020)
2020-12-119ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.(Truong, John) (Entered: 12/11/2020)
2020-12-11MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues no later than 1/30/2021. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 12/11/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 12/11/2020)
2020-12-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/30/2021. (tb) (Entered: 12/14/2020)
2021-01-2910Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Truong, John) (Entered: 01/29/2021)
2021-02-03MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 10 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report and proposed order by 3/15/21. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 2/3/21. (DJS) (Entered: 02/03/2021)
2021-02-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Report due by 3/15/2021. (tb) (Entered: 02/04/2021)
2021-03-1511STIPULATION of Dismissal (Joint) by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Truong, John) (Entered: 03/15/2021)
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