Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv02145
Date Filed2021-08-11
Date Closed2023-03-29
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Defense for records concerning emails exchanged by Secretary Lloyd Austin and any mil or gov email addresses pertaining to the Countering Extremism Working Group. 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 DEFENSE
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

2021-08-111COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8660937) 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 Defense)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/11/2021)
2021-08-112LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/11/2021)
2021-08-11Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (znmg) (Entered: 08/11/2021)
2021-08-113SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmg) (Entered: 08/11/2021)
2021-08-184RETURN 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)
2021-08-185RETURN 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)
2021-08-186RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE served on 8/16/2021 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 08/18/2021)
2021-09-137NOTICE of Appearance by Christopher Charles Hair on behalf of All Defendants (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 09/13/2021)
2021-09-138ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.(Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 09/13/2021)
2021-09-14MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues no later than 10/29/21. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 9/14/21. (DJS) (Entered: 09/14/2021)
2021-09-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/29/2021. (tb) (Entered: 09/16/2021)
2021-10-299Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 10/29/2021)
2021-10-29MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report by 1/7/22 and every 30 days thereafter. To the extent the parties propose a change in the status quo, the report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 10/29/21. (DJS) (Entered: 10/29/2021)
2021-11-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Report due by 1/7/2022. (tb) (Entered: 11/02/2021)
2022-01-0710Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 01/07/2022)
2022-03-0811Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Hair, Christopher) (Entered: 03/08/2022)
2022-04-2012NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Jeremy S. Simon on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Substituting for attorney Christopher Charles Hair (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 04/20/2022)
2022-05-0613Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 05/06/2022)
2022-06-3014Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order)(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/30/2022)
2022-08-0715MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report by August 30, 2022, and every 60 days thereafter. To the extent the parties propose a change in the status quo, the report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 8/7/22. (DJS) (Entered: 08/07/2022)
2022-08-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Report due by 8/30/2022. (tb) (Entered: 08/10/2022)
2022-08-3016Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/30/2022)
2022-10-3117Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 10/31/2022)
2022-12-2118Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 12/21/2022)
2023-02-2119Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 02/21/2023)
2023-03-2720STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-03-28MINUTE ORDER: In consideration of the parties' 20 Stipulation of Dismissal, this case is hereby dismissed with prejudice pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 03/28/2023. (lcja) (Entered: 03/28/2023)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar