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Case TitleCITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv00650
Date Filed2021-03-11
Date Closed2022-03-17
JudgeJudge Emmet G. Sullivan
PlaintiffCITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON
Case DescriptionCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning Donald Trump Jr.'s 2019 trip to Mongolia to hunt an endangered species of sheep. CREW also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, CREW filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
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

2021-03-111COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8295423) filed by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Dep't of State, # 3 Summons Attorney General, # 4 Summons U.S. Attorney)(Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 03/11/2021)
2021-03-112LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON (Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 03/11/2021)
2021-03-11NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to weismann.anne@gmail.com, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Blank or missing coversheet. Please use the cover sheet at https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/new-case-forms & file using the event Civil Cover Sheet., 2. No signature. Please file the signed document using the event Errata. All filings must have an original signature or '/s/ Attorney Name' to represent an electronic signature of the filer., 3. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (zsb, ) (Entered: 03/11/2021)
2021-03-12NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to weismann.anne@gmail.com, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Blank or missing coversheet. Please use the cover sheet at https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/new-case-forms & file using the event Civil Cover Sheet., 2. No signature. Please file the signed document using the event Errata. All filings must have an original signature or '/s/ Attorney Name' to represent an electronic signature of the filer., 3. Form filed as fillable PDF. Please file form in a non-fillable PDF format., 4. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (zsb, ) (Entered: 03/12/2021)
2021-03-15MINUTE ORDER. Plaintiff is hereby ordered to show cause, on or before March 22, 2021, why this case should not be dismissed given Plaintiff's failure to remedy the errors that the Clerk's Office has identified with his filing and asked Plaintiff to correct on March 11 and 12, 2021. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/15/2021. (zjd) (Entered: 03/15/2021)
2021-03-163ERRATA by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet, # 5 complaint with signature)(Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 03/16/2021)
2021-03-17Case Assigned to Judge Emmet G. Sullivan. (zsb) (Entered: 03/17/2021)
2021-03-174SUMMONS (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: 03/17/2021)
2021-03-265RETURN 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.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 3/26/2021, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 3/26/21. (Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 03/26/2021)
2021-03-266STANDING ORDER: The parties are directed to read the attached Standing Order Governing Civil Cases Before Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in its entirety upon receipt. The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the directives in the attached Standing Order. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 03/26/21. (Attachment: # 1 Exhibit 1) (mac) (Entered: 03/26/2021)
2021-04-267NOTICE of Appearance by Paul Cirino on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 04/26/2021)
2021-04-268ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 04/26/2021)
2021-04-299NOTICE of Consent to Assignment to Magistrate Judge by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 04/29/2021)
2021-04-29MINUTE ORDER. In view of 9 notice of consent to assignment to magistrate judge, Plaintiff shall file a status report by no later than May 7, 2021, informing the Court whether it consent to assignment to a magistrate judge for all purposes. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 4/29/2021. (lcegs3) (Entered: 04/29/2021)
2021-04-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Plaintiff Status Report due by 5/7/2021. (mac) (Entered: 04/30/2021)
2021-04-3010STATUS REPORT by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. (Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 04/30/2021)
2021-05-21MINUTE ORDER. Plaintiff brings this action pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"), 5 U.S.C. § 552. The parties are directed to meet and confer and propose a joint scheduling order for further proceedings in this case by no later than June 4, 2021. The parties' joint proposed scheduling order shall address the following: (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 documents responsive to plaintiff's FOIA request; (4) Whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case; (5) Whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case; (6) Whether this case would benefit from referral to a magistrate judge or the District Court Mediation Program for purposes of settlement; and (7) A proposed briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if applicable. If the parties are unable to agree on a joint recommendation, the joint proposed scheduling order shall include each party's individual recommendations. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 5/21/2021. (lcegs3) (Entered: 05/21/2021)
2021-05-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Scheduling Order due by 6/4/2021 (mac) (Entered: 05/22/2021)
2021-06-0411Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 06/04/2021)
2021-07-19MINUTE ORDER. In view of 11 joint status report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than September 20, 2021. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 7/19/2021. (lcegs1) (Entered: 07/19/2021)
2021-07-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/20/2021 (mac) (Entered: 07/19/2021)
2021-09-2012Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 09/20/2021)
2021-09-21MINUTE ORDER. In view of 12 joint status report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than November 22, 2021. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 9/21/2021. (lcegs3) (Entered: 09/21/2021)
2021-09-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/22/2021. (mac) (Entered: 09/24/2021)
2021-11-2213Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 11/22/2021)
2021-11-23MINUTE ORDER. In view of 13 joint status report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than January 21, 2022. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 11/23/2021. (lcegs3) (Entered: 11/23/2021)
2021-11-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/21/2022 (mac) (Entered: 11/24/2021)
2022-01-2114Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 01/21/2022)
2022-01-21MINUTE ORDER. In view of 14 joint status report, the parties are directed to file another joint status report with a recommendation for further proceedings by no later than March 22, 2022. Signed by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on 1/21/2022. (lcegs3) (Entered: 01/21/2022)
2022-01-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/22/2022 (mac) (Entered: 01/24/2022)
2022-03-1615STIPULATION of Dismissal Joint by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. (Weismann, Anne) (Entered: 03/16/2022)
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