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Case TitleAMBERGER v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv03664
Date Filed2020-12-14
Date Closed2022-07-22
JudgeJudge Dabney L. Friedrich
PlaintiffJOHANN MAXIMILIAN AMBERGER
Case DescriptionJohann Maximillian Amberger submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning a multi-colored map of Syria circulated by Ambassador James Jeffrey between December 2018 and January 2019. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. In response to Amberger's request for an estimated time of completion, the agency told him that it would process the request as soon as possible. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Amberger filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-12-141COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-7956010) filed by JOHANN MAXIMILIAN AMBERGER. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet, # 5 Summons)(Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 12/14/2020)
2020-12-142NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua Hart Burday on behalf of JOHANN MAXIMILIAN AMBERGER (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 12/14/2020)
2020-12-143NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of JOHANN MAXIMILIAN AMBERGER (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 12/14/2020)
2020-12-15Case Assigned to Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. (zmd) (Entered: 12/15/2020)
2020-12-154SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ) (Entered: 12/15/2020)
2021-02-105ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Field, Brian) (Entered: 02/10/2021)
2021-02-10MINUTE ORDER requiring the parties to meet and confer and file a joint status report proposing a schedule for further proceedings. The status report should address the status of the plaintiff's FOIA request, including the anticipated number of documents responsive to the request and the anticipated date(s) for release of the requested documents. The parties shall file the joint status report on or before February 24, 2021. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on February 10, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 02/10/2021)
2021-02-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 2/24/2021 (zjch) (Entered: 02/11/2021)
2021-02-156RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 1/12/2021 (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 02/15/2021)
2021-02-157RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 1/11/2021. (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 02/15/2021)
2021-02-158RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/11/2021. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/10/2021. (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 02/15/2021)
2021-02-249Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 02/24/2021)
2021-02-24MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall, on or before March 31, 2021, file another joint status report updating the Court on the status of the plaintiff's FOIA request and proposing a schedule for further proceedings. So ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on February 24, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 02/24/2021)
2021-02-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 3/31/2021 (zjch) (Entered: 02/24/2021)
2021-03-3110Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-03-31MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, the parties are ORDERED to file another joint status report on or before April 30, 2021. So ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on March 31, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-03-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 4/30/2021 (zjch) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-04-3011Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 04/30/2021)
2021-04-30MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before May 31, 2021. So ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on April 30, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 04/30/2021)
2021-04-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 5/31/2021 (zjch) (Entered: 05/03/2021)
2021-05-2812Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Field, Brian) (Entered: 05/28/2021)
2021-05-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before June 30, 2021. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on May 28, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 05/28/2021)
2021-05-28Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 6/30/2021 (zjch) (Entered: 05/28/2021)
2021-06-0113NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Stephanie R. Johnson on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Substituting for attorney Brian J. Field (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 06/01/2021)
2021-06-3014Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 06/30/2021)
2021-06-30MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before August 30, 2021. So ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on June 30, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 06/30/2021)
2021-06-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 8/30/2021 (zjch) (Entered: 07/01/2021)
2021-08-3015Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 08/30/2021)
2021-08-30MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before October 30, 2021. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on August 30, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 08/30/2021)
2021-08-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 10/30/2021 (zjch) (Entered: 08/31/2021)
2021-10-2916Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 10/29/2021)
2021-10-29MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before December 28, 2021. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on October 29, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 10/29/2021)
2021-12-2317Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 12/23/2021)
2021-12-23MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before February 28, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on December 23, 2021. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 12/23/2021)
2022-01-2118MOTION to Withdraw as Attorney by JOHANN MAXIMILIAN AMBERGER. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 01/21/2022)
2022-01-21MINUTE ORDER granting plaintiff's 18 Motion to Withdraw as Attorney. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on January 21, 2022. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 01/21/2022)
2022-02-2819Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 02/28/2022)
2022-03-03MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 19 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before April 29, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on March 3, 2022. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 03/03/2022)
2022-04-2920NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua Loevy on behalf of JOHANN MAXIMILIAN AMBERGER (Loevy, Joshua) (Entered: 04/29/2022)
2022-04-2921Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 04/29/2022)
2022-04-29MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 21 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before May 31, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on April 29, 2022. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 04/29/2022)
2022-05-3122Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-05-31MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 22 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before July 15, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on May 31, 2022. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 05/31/2022)
2022-07-1523Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Johnson, Stephanie) (Entered: 07/15/2022)
2022-07-18MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 23 Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report on or before August 11, 2022, if a notice of voluntary dismissal is not filed before then. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on July 18, 2022. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 07/18/2022)
2022-07-2224STIPULATION of Dismissal by JOHANN MAXIMILIAN AMBERGER. (Loevy, Joshua) (Entered: 07/22/2022)
2022-07-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 24 Joint Stipulation of Dismissal, it is hereby ORDERED that the case is DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). The Clerk of Court is directed to close this case. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on July 22, 2022. (lcdlf3) (Entered: 07/22/2022)
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