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Case TitleJOHNSON v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv00831
Date Filed2022-03-28
Date Closed2022-08-23
JudgeJudge Dabney L. Friedrich
PlaintiffROBERT DAVID JOHNSON
also known as KC JOHNSON
Case DescriptionRobert Johnson, a history professor, submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Education for records concerning emails between Catherine Lhamon, who is head of the Office of Civil Rights and a list of specified individuals. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and indicated that it fell within the unusual circumstances category for processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Johnson filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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

2022-03-281COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9130535) filed by ROBERT DAVID JOHNSON. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons for the U.S. Attorney's office, # 3 Summons for the agency, U.S. Department of Education, # 4 Summons for the Attorney General)(Bader, Hans) (Attachment 1 replaced on 3/28/2022) (znmg). Modified on 3/28/2022 to replace fillable civil cover sheet (znmg). (Entered: 03/28/2022)
2022-03-28NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to hfb138@yahoo.com, cc'd 0 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Blank or missing coversheet. Please use the cover sheet at https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/new-case-forms & file using the event Civil Cover Sheet., 2. No signature. Please file the signed document using the event Errata. All filings must have an original signature or '/s/ Attorney Name' to represent an electronic signature of the filer., 3. The civil cover sheet should be filed in a non-fillable PDF format. After completing the form, you will need to print to PDF. Please file using the event Civil Cover Sheet., 4. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (znmg, ) (Entered: 03/28/2022)
2022-03-282CIVIL COVER SHEET signed by counsel this time, filed by ROBERT DAVID JOHNSON re 1 Complaint, filed by ROBERT DAVID JOHNSON. Related document: 1 Complaint, filed by ROBERT DAVID JOHNSON.(Bader, Hans) (Entered: 03/28/2022)
2022-03-29Case Assigned to Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. (znmg) (Entered: 03/29/2022)
2022-03-303SUMMONS (2) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zeg) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-04-044STANDARD ORDER for Civil Cases. See text for details. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on April 4, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 04/04/2022)
2022-04-065RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/31/2022. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/30/2022.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION served on 4/4/2022, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 4/4/2022. (Bader, Hans) (Entered: 04/06/2022)
2022-05-026ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.(Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 05/02/2022)
2022-05-207STATUS REPORT by ROBERT DAVID JOHNSON. (Bader, Hans) (Entered: 05/20/2022)
2022-05-24MINUTE 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 June 7, 2022. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on May 24, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 05/24/2022)
2022-05-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 6/7/2022 (zjch, ) (Entered: 05/24/2022)
2022-06-068Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 06/06/2022)
2022-06-07MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report, the Court will not require the defendant to increase its proposed processing rate, which is consistent with the rates this Court has approved in other cases, see Colbert v. FBI, No. 16-cv-1790, and will allow production to conclude within three months. The plaintiff has provided no grounds for requiring the defendant to prioritize this case over similar Freedom of Information Act cases, and none is evident from the record. Accordingly, the parties shall confer and file another joint status report on or before July 25, 2022 that updates the Court regarding the defendant's progress. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on June 7, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 06/07/2022)
2022-06-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 7/25/2022 (zjch, ) (Entered: 06/07/2022)
2022-07-259Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 07/25/2022)
2022-07-25MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the defendant shall file its motion for summary judgment on or before September 23, 2022; the plaintiff shall file its opposition and any cross-motions on or before October 22, 2022; the defendant shall file its reply in support of its motion and opposition to any cross-motions on or before November 18, 2022; and the plaintiff shall file its reply in support of its cross-motions by December 5, 2022. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on July 25, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 07/25/2022)
2022-08-2310STIPULATION of Dismissal by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. (Simon, Jeremy) (Entered: 08/23/2022)
2022-08-23MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 10 Stipulation of Dismissal, the plaintiff's claims against the defendant are DISMISSED with prejudice. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a). The Clerk of Court is directed to close this case. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on August 23, 2022. (lcdlf1) (Entered: 08/23/2022)
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