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Case TitleCATO INSTITUTE v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv02434
Date Filed2021-09-16
Date Closed2023-12-26
JudgeJudge Beryl A. Howell
PlaintiffCATO INSTITUTE
Case DescriptionThe Cato Institute submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning incidents of substantial non-compliance with one or more DIOG requirements. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency told the Cato Institute it had located 1,082 potentially responsive pages which would take 66 months to process. After hearing nothing further from the agency, the Cato Institute filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2021-09-161COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8736544) filed by CATO INSTITUTE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Civil Cover Sheet, # 5 Summons)(Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 09/16/2021)
2021-09-162NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua Hart Burday on behalf of CATO INSTITUTE (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 09/16/2021)
2021-09-163NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of CATO INSTITUTE (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 09/16/2021)
2021-09-16Case Assigned to Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell. (znmg) (Entered: 09/16/2021)
2021-09-164SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent) (znmg) (Entered: 09/16/2021)
2021-09-165STANDING ORDER. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on September 16, 2021. (lcbah4) (Entered: 09/16/2021)
2021-11-016ANSWER to Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/01/2021)
2021-11-157Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/15/2021)
2021-11-15MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 7 Joint Status Report, that the parties file a joint status report by January 19, 2022, including a proposed schedule for further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on November 15, 2021. (lcbah4) Modified on 11/16/2021 (ztg). (Entered: 11/15/2021)
2021-11-16Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/19/2022. (ztg) (Entered: 11/16/2021)
2021-11-228ENTERED IN ERROR.....NOTICE of Issues for Summary Judgment by CATO INSTITUTE (Burday, Joshua) Modified on 11/23/2021 (zeg). (Entered: 11/22/2021)
2021-11-23NOTICE OF CORRECTED DOCKET ENTRY: re 8 Notice (Other) was entered in error per counsel's request. (zeg) (Entered: 11/23/2021)
2021-11-289RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 10/1/2021 (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 11/28/2021)
2021-11-2810RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION served on 10/1/2021 (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 11/28/2021)
2021-11-2811RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 09/30/2021. (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 11/28/2021)
2021-11-2812RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 10/1/2021. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 10/31/2021. (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 11/28/2021)
2022-01-1913Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 01/19/2022)
2022-01-19MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, that the parties file a joint status report by March 30, 2022, with a proposed schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on January 19, 2022. (lcbah4) (Entered: 01/19/2022)
2022-01-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/30/2022. (ztg) (Entered: 01/19/2022)
2022-01-2114MOTION to Withdraw as Attorney by CATO INSTITUTE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 01/21/2022)
2022-01-21MINUTE ORDER (paperless) GRANTING plaintiff counsel's 14 Motion to Withdraw as Counsel. Attorney Joshua Burday terminated. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on January 21, 2022. (lcbah4) (Entered: 01/21/2022)
2022-03-3015Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-03-30MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, the parties to file a joint status report by May 12, 2022, indicating whether any issues remain and, if so, proposing a schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on March 30, 2022. (lcbah4) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-03-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/12/2022. (ztg) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-05-1216Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 05/12/2022)
2022-05-16MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, that the parties file a joint status report by August 15, 2022, indicating whether any issues remain and, if so, proposing a schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on May 16, 2022. (lcbah4) (Entered: 05/16/2022)
2022-05-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/15/2022. (ztg) (Entered: 05/17/2022)
2022-08-1517Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/15/2022)
2022-08-15MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, that the parties file a joint status report by November 15, 2022, indicating whether any issues remain and, if so, proposing a schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on August 15, 2022. (lcbah4) (Entered: 08/15/2022)
2022-08-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/15/2022. (ztg) (Entered: 08/17/2022)
2022-11-1518Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 11/15/2022)
2023-01-03MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 18 Joint Status Report, the parties to submit a joint status report by February 14, 2023, with a proposed schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on January 3, 2023. (lcbah4) (Entered: 01/03/2023)
2023-01-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/14/2023. (ztg) (Entered: 01/04/2023)
2023-02-1419Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 02/14/2023)
2023-02-14MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 19 Joint Status Report, the parties to submit a joint status report by April 19, 2023, with a proposed schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on February 14, 2023. (lcbah4) (Entered: 02/14/2023)
2023-02-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/19/2023. (ztg) (Entered: 02/15/2023)
2023-02-2820NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of CATO INSTITUTE (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 02/28/2023)
2023-04-1921Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 04/19/2023)
2023-04-20MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 21 Joint Status Report, the parties to submit a joint status report by July 21, 2023, with a proposed schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on April 20, 2023. (lcbah4) (Entered: 04/20/2023)
2023-04-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/21/2023. (ztg) (Entered: 04/21/2023)
2023-07-2122Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 07/21/2023)
2023-07-25MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 22 Joint Status Report, the parties to submit a joint status report by October 23, 2023, with a proposed schedule to govern further proceedings in this matter. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on July 25, 2023. (lcbah4) (Entered: 07/25/2023)
2023-07-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/23/2023. (ztg) (Entered: 07/26/2023)
2023-10-2323Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 10/23/2023)
2023-10-24MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING the parties, upon consideration of their 23 Joint Status Report, to file, by December 13, 2023, a joint status report, advising the Court of the status of this matter. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on October 24, 2023. (lcbah4) (Entered: 10/24/2023)
2023-10-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Joint Status Report due by 12/13/2023 (mac) (Entered: 10/24/2023)
2023-12-1324Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 12/13/2023)
2023-12-14MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING the parties, upon consideration of their 24 Joint Status Report, to file, by January 19, 2024, a joint status report advising the Court whether any disputes remain between the parties, unless a stipulation of dismissal is filed before then. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on December 14, 2023. (lcbah4) (Entered: 12/14/2023)
2023-12-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Joint Status Report due by 1/19/2024 (mac) (Entered: 12/15/2023)
2023-12-2225STIPULATION of Dismissal by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 12/22/2023)
2023-12-24MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DISMISSING this matter, with prejudice, pursuant to the parties' 25 Stipulation of Dismissal and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). The Clerk of the Court is directed to close this case. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on December 24, 2023. (lcbah4) (Entered: 12/24/2023)
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