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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv02111
Date Filed2021-08-06
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Dabney L. Friedrich
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning U.S. diplomatic personnel seeking to enter China being subjected to anal swab tests for COVID-19. 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 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

2021-08-061COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8650973) 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 State)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/06/2021)
2021-08-062LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/06/2021)
2021-08-06Case Assigned to Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. (adh, ) (Entered: 08/06/2021)
2021-08-063SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ) (Entered: 08/06/2021)
2021-08-064STANDARD ORDER for Civil Cases. See text for details. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on August 6, 2021. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 08/06/2021)
2021-08-185RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/12/2021. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/11/2021. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/18/2021)
2021-08-186RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 08/17/21. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/18/2021)
2021-08-187RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 8/17/2021 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/18/2021)
2021-09-138NOTICE of Appearance by Paul Cirino on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 09/13/2021)
2021-09-139ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 09/13/2021)
2021-09-13MINUTE 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 September 27, 2021. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on September 13, 2021. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 09/13/2021)
2021-09-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 9/27/2021 (zjch, ) (Entered: 09/14/2021)
2021-09-2710Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 09/27/2021)
2021-09-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before November 30, 2021. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on September 28, 2021. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 09/28/2021)
2021-11-3011Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 11/30/2021)
2021-11-30MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before January 31, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on November 30, 2021. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 11/30/2021)
2022-01-3112Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 01/31/2022)
2022-01-31MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before April 1, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on January 31, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 01/31/2022)
2022-04-0113Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 04/01/2022)
2022-04-03MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before June 1, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on April 3, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 04/03/2022)
2022-06-0114Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Cirino, Paul) (Entered: 06/01/2022)
2022-06-10MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before August 30, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on June 10, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 06/10/2022)
2022-06-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 8/30/2022 (zjch, ) (Entered: 06/10/2022)
2022-08-2815NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Jeremy S. Simon on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Substituting for attorney Paul Cirino (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/28/2022)
2022-08-3016Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/30/2022)
2022-08-30MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before November 30, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on August 30, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 08/30/2022)
2022-11-2917Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 11/29/2022)
2022-11-30MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before February 23, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on November 30, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 11/30/2022)
2023-02-2218Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 02/22/2023)
2023-02-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 18 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before May 23, 2023. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on February 22, 2023. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 02/22/2023)
2023-05-1919Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 05/19/2023)
2023-05-19MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 19 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before August 17, 2023. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on May 19, 2023. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 05/19/2023)
2023-08-1720Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/17/2023)
2023-08-17MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 20 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before November 15, 2023. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on August 17, 2023. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 08/17/2023)
2023-08-18Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 11/15/2023 (zjch, ) (Entered: 08/18/2023)
2023-11-1521Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/15/2023)
2023-11-15MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 21 Status Report, the parties shall file a joint status report on or before February 15, 2024. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on November 15, 2023. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 11/15/2023)
2024-02-1522Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 02/15/2024)
2024-02-15MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 22 Status Report, the parties shall file a joint status report on or before May 15, 2024. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on February 15, 2024. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 02/15/2024)
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