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Case TitleEATON v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv00418
Date Filed2022-02-16
Date Closed2023-08-01
JudgeJudge John D. Bates
PlaintiffBENJMAIN EATON
Case DescriptionBenjamin Eaton submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Agriculture for records concerning the $23 million grant to upgrade Uniontown's sewage system. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Eaton filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Fees, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
DefendantTOM VILSACK Secretary of Agriculture
DefendantTHOMAS J. VILSACK Secretary of Agriculture
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

2022-02-161COMPLAINT for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief against DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TOM VILSACK ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9048062) filed by BENJMAIN EATON. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Sewell, Anna) (Entered: 02/16/2022)
2022-02-16Case Assigned to Judge John D. Bates. (zsb) (Entered: 02/16/2022)
2022-02-232SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to TOM VILSACK, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 02/23/2022)
2022-02-243NOTICE of Appearance by Michael Ray Harris on behalf of BENJMAIN EATON (Harris, Michael) (Entered: 02/24/2022)
2022-03-294RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/1/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/31/2022. (Sewell, Anna) (Entered: 03/29/2022)
2022-03-295RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE served on 2/28/2022; TOM VILSACK served on 2/28/2022 (Sewell, Anna) (Entered: 03/29/2022)
2022-03-296RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 3/1/2022. (Sewell, Anna) (Entered: 03/29/2022)
2022-03-307NOTICE of Appearance by Gonzalo E. Rodriguez on behalf of BENJMAIN EATON (Rodriguez, Gonzalo) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-04-018NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of All Defendants (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 04/01/2022)
2022-04-019ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TOM VILSACK.(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 04/01/2022)
2022-04-0710ORDER setting deadline for parties to submit proposed briefing schedule. See text of Order for details. Signed by Judge John D. Bates on 4/7/2022. (lcjdb2) (Entered: 04/07/2022)
2022-04-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 5/4/2022. (tb) (Entered: 04/13/2022)
2022-05-0411Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TOM VILSACK. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 05/04/2022)
2022-05-04MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 11 the parties' joint status report, and the entire record herein, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report by not later than July 13, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge John D. Bates on 5/4/2022. (lcjdb2) (Entered: 05/04/2022)
2022-05-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/13/2022. (tb) (Entered: 05/10/2022)
2022-07-1312Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TOM VILSACK. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 07/13/2022)
2022-07-13MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 12 the parties' joint status report, and the entire record herein, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report by not later than September 12, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge John D. Bates on 7/13/2022. (lcjdb2) (Entered: 07/13/2022)
2022-07-13Set/Reset Deadline: Joint Status Report due by 9/12/2022. (jth) (Entered: 07/13/2022)
2022-09-1213Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TOM VILSACK. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 09/12/2022)
2022-09-12MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 13 the parties' joint status report, and the entire record herein, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report by not later than November 14, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge John D. Bates on 9/12/2022. (lcjdb2) (Entered: 09/12/2022)
2022-09-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/14/2022. (tb) (Entered: 09/19/2022)
2022-09-2114NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to BENJMAIN EATON. Attorney Gonzalo E. Rodriguez terminated. (Rodriguez, Gonzalo) (Entered: 09/21/2022)
2022-11-1415Joint STATUS REPORT by BENJMAIN EATON. (Sewell, Anna) (Entered: 11/14/2022)
2023-04-0416Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THOMAS J. VILSACK. (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 04/04/2023)
2023-05-10MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 16 the parties' joint status report, and the entire record herein, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report by not later than May 31, 2023. Signed by Judge John D. Bates on 5/10/2023. (lcjdb2) (Entered: 05/10/2023)
2023-05-1017NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by John Moustakas on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THOMAS J. VILSACK Substituting for attorney Daniel Schaefer (Moustakas, John) (Entered: 05/10/2023)
2023-05-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/31/2023. (tb) (Entered: 05/11/2023)
2023-05-3118Joint STATUS REPORT by BENJMAIN EATON. (Harris, Michael) (Entered: 05/31/2023)
2023-06-01MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 18 the parties' joint status report, and the entire record herein, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file either a stipulated motion to dismiss or a joint status report by not later than July 31, 2023. Signed by Judge John D. Bates on 6/1/2023. (lcjdb2) (Entered: 06/01/2023)
2023-06-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/31/2023. (zgf) (Entered: 06/02/2023)
2023-07-0619NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Christophe Gagnon Courchesne on behalf of BENJMAIN EATON Substituting for attorney Michael R. Harris (Courchesne, Christophe) (Entered: 07/06/2023)
2023-07-3120Consent MOTION to Dismiss by BENJMAIN EATON. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Sewell, Anna) (Entered: 07/31/2023)
2023-08-01MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 20 plaintiff's consent motion to voluntarily dismiss the case without prejudice, and the entire record herein, it is hereby ORDERED that the motion is GRANTED; and it is further ORDERED that the case is DISMISSED without prejudice. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge John D. Bates on 8/1/2023. (lcjdb2) (Entered: 08/01/2023)
2023-08-01RESOLVED...NOTICE of Provisional/Government Not Certified Status re 20 Consent MOTION to Dismiss by BENJMAIN EATON. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Sewell, Anna). Your attorney renewal/government certification has not been received. As a result, your membership with the U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia is not in good standing, and you are not permitted to file. Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 83.9, you must immediately correct your membership status by following the appropriate instructions on this page of our website: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/attorney-renewal. Please be advised that the presiding judge in this case has been notified that you are currently not in good standing to file in this court. Renewal Due by 8/8/2023. (zmrl) Modified on 8/2/2023 (zmrl). (Entered: 08/01/2023)
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