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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv00625
Date Filed2021-03-09
Date Closed2021-11-12
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning communications with social media companies concerning COVID-related content. 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

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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

2021-03-091COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8289556) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons for US Attorney for DC, # 3 Summons for US Attorney General, # 4 Summons for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 03/09/2021)
2021-03-092LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 03/09/2021)
2021-03-09Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (adh, ) (Entered: 03/09/2021)
2021-03-103SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ) (Entered: 03/10/2021)
2021-03-294RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/26/2021. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/25/2021. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 03/29/2021)
2021-03-295RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 03/16/21. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 03/29/2021)
2021-03-296RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 3/22/2021 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Bekesha, Michael) (Entered: 03/29/2021)
2021-04-267NOTICE of Appearance by Robert Aaron Caplen on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/26/2021)
2021-04-268NOTICE of Consent to Assignment to Magistrate Judge by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/26/2021)
2021-04-269ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/26/2021)
2021-04-2610ORDER. Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before May 10, 2021. The Joint Status Report shall include (1) the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request; (2) the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request; (3) the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff; (4) whether a motion for a stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force, 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); and (5) whether the parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule. See the attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 4/26/2021. (lcapm3) (Entered: 04/26/2021)
2021-04-2911Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Caplen, Robert) (Entered: 04/29/2021)
2021-04-29MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by July 29, 2021, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 4/29/2021. (lcapm3) (Entered: 04/29/2021)
2021-06-2812NOTICE of Appearance by Paul Cirino on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 06/28/2021)
2021-07-2313Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 07/23/2021)
2021-07-23MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by October 21, 2021, that proposes a schedule for further proceedings, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 7/23/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 07/23/2021)
2021-10-2114Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 10/21/2021)
2021-10-22MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by November 21, 2021, that proposes a schedule for further proceedings, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/21/2021. (lcapm3) (Entered: 10/22/2021)
2021-11-1215STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 11/12/2021)
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