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Case TitleCATHOLICVOTE CIVIC ACTION et al v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv00290
Date Filed2022-02-04
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amy Berman Jackson
PlaintiffCATHOLICVOTE CIVIC ACTION
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionCatholicVote Civic Action and Judicial Watch submitted two FOIA requests to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning communications between CBP and the Diocese of Brownville, Texas, and other Catholic organizations. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from either agency, CatholicVotes Civic Action and 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 HOMELAND SECURITY
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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

2022-02-041COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9022920) filed by CATHOLICVOTE CIVIC ACTION, 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 Homeland Security, # 5 Summons for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-042LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CATHOLICVOTE CIVIC ACTION (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-043LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-04Case Assigned to Judge Amy Berman Jackson. (znmg) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-104SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 02/10/2022)
2022-02-235RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/11/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/13/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-02-236RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 02/22/22. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-02-237RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY served on 2/14/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-02-238RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 2/18/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-03-119NOTICE of Appearance by Thomas Duffey on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 03/11/2022)
2022-03-1110MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, with proposed order by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 03/11/2022)
2022-03-15MINUTE ORDER granting 10 Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Notwithstanding the lack of plaintiff's unqualified consent, which is noted, defendants must answer or otherwise respond to the complaint by April 13, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 03/15/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 03/15/2022)
2022-04-1311ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.(Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 04/13/2022)
2022-04-1412ORDER. Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of Local Civil Rule 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure appear to be inapplicable. Defendants shall file a dispositive motion or, in the alternative, a report setting forth the schedule for the completion of its production of documents to plaintiffs, on or before May 12, 2022. See Order for details. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 04/14/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 04/14/2022)
2022-05-1313STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 05/13/2022)
2022-05-16MINUTE ORDER. In light of the 13 status report, defendants must submit a status report by June 13, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 05/16/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 05/16/2022)
2022-06-1314STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 06/13/2022)
2022-06-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the 14 status report, defendants must submit another status report by August 15, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 06/15/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 06/15/2022)
2022-08-1515STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 08/15/2022)
2022-08-16MINUTE ORDER. In light of the 15 status report, defendants must submit another status report by October 17, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 08/16/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 08/16/2022)
2022-10-1716STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 10/17/2022)
2022-10-1717RESPONSE Plaintiffs' Response to Defendants' Status Report and Request to Make Future Status Reports Joint filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Di Liberto, Meredith) (Entered: 10/17/2022)
2022-10-20MINUTE ORDER. In light of the defendants' 16 status report and plaintiffs' 17 response, the parties must submit a joint status report by December 15, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 10/20/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 10/20/2022)
2022-12-1518Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 12/15/2022)
2022-12-16MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 18 joint status report, the parties must submit another joint status report by February 15, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 12/16/2022. (lcabj2) (Entered: 12/16/2022)
2023-02-1419NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Joshua Ontell on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Substituting for attorney Thomas Duffey (Ontell, Joshua) (Entered: 02/14/2023)
2023-02-1520Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Ontell, Joshua) (Entered: 02/15/2023)
2023-02-15MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 20 joint status report, the parties must submit another joint status report by April 19, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 02/15/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 02/15/2023)
2023-03-2321NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by M. Jared Littman on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Joshua Ontell (Littman, M. Jared) (Entered: 03/23/2023)
2023-04-1822Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Littman, M.) (Entered: 04/18/2023)
2023-04-19MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 22 joint status report, the parties must submit another joint status report by July 18, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 04/19/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 04/19/2023)
2023-07-1823Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Littman, M.) (Entered: 07/18/2023)
2023-07-19MINUTE ORDER. In light of 23 the parties' joint status report, the parties must submit another joint status report by October 16, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 7/19/23. (DMK) (Entered: 07/19/2023)
2023-10-1224Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Littman, M.) (Entered: 10/12/2023)
2023-10-16MINUTE ORDER. In light of 24 the parties' joint status report, the parties must submit another joint status report by January 16, 2024. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 10/16/2023. (lcabj2) (Entered: 10/16/2023)
2024-01-1125Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. (Littman, M.) (Entered: 01/11/2024)
2024-01-11MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 25 joint status report, the parties must submit another joint status report by April 16, 2024. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 1/11/2024. (lcabj2) (Entered: 01/11/2024)
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