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Case TitleWHITE COAT WASTE PROJECT v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv01485
Date Filed2021-06-01
Date Closed2022-03-16
JudgeJudge Carl J. Nichols
PlaintiffWHITE COAT WASTE PROJECT
Case DescriptionWhite Coat Waste Project submitted two FOIA requests to the National Institute of Health for records. The first FOIA request asked for records concerning the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The second FOIA requested asked for records concerning a grant awarded to EcoHealth Alliance. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency, White Coat Waste Project filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES 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

2021-06-011COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8493507) filed by WHITE COAT WASTE PROJECT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons Request to US Department of Health and Human Services, # 3 Summons Request to US Attorney General, # 4 Summons Request to U.S. Attorneys Office)(Strugar, Matthew) (Entered: 06/01/2021)
2021-06-012LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by WHITE COAT WASTE PROJECT (Strugar, Matthew) (Main Document 2 replaced on 6/1/2021) (znmg). (Entered: 06/01/2021)
2021-06-01NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to matthew@matthewstrugar.com, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. 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., 2. Section VIII of the Civil Cover Sheet has 2 boxes marked. Please clarify which is correct; yes or no., 3. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (znmg, ) (Entered: 06/01/2021)
2021-06-04NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to matthew@matthewstrugar.com, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. 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., 2. Section VIII of the Civil Cover Sheet has 2 boxes marked. Please clarify which is correct; yes or no., 3. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (znmg, ) (Entered: 06/04/2021)
2021-06-043ERRATA to Civil Cover Sheet by WHITE COAT WASTE PROJECT re 1 Complaint, filed by WHITE COAT WASTE PROJECT. (Strugar, Matthew) (Entered: 06/04/2021)
2021-06-07Case Assigned to Judge Carl J. Nichols. (znmg) (Entered: 06/07/2021)
2021-06-074SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmg) (Entered: 06/07/2021)
2021-07-075STANDING ORDER. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on July 7, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 07/07/2021)
2021-07-196NOTICE of Appearance by Paul Cirino on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 07/19/2021)
2021-07-207ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 07/20/2021)
2021-08-04MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court in this Freedom of Information Act case are a Complaint and an Answer. According to Local Civil Rule 16.3, the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f) are inapplicable. It is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before August 25, 2021. The Joint Status Report shall address: (1) the status of Plaintiff's FOIA requests; (2) the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA requests; (3) the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff; (4) whether a motion for stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force , 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); (5) the possibility of prioritizing documents responsive to Plaintiff's requests and any discussions regarding whether Plaintiff's requests can be narrowed; and (6) whether the Parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on August 4, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 08/04/2021)
2021-08-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/25/2021. (zcal) (Entered: 08/06/2021)
2021-08-258Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 08/25/2021)
2021-10-259Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 10/25/2021)
2021-10-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 9 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before December 3, 2021. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on October 28, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 10/28/2021)
2021-10-28Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/3/2021. (zcal) (Entered: 10/28/2021)
2021-12-0310Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 12/03/2021)
2021-12-06MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 10 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before February 1, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on December 6, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 12/06/2021)
2021-12-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/1/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 12/06/2021)
2022-02-0111Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 02/01/2022)
2022-03-1512STIPULATION of Dismissal by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 03/15/2022)
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