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Case TitleEmpower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research v. Department of Justice
DistrictEastern District of Virginia
CityAlexandria
Case Number1:2023cv00095
Date Filed2023-01-20
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeDistrict Judge Leonie M. Brinkema
PlaintiffEmpower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research
Case DescriptionEmpower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning processing and response to congressional correspondence regarding Al Jazeera. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, EOWR filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. Department Of Justice
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2023-01-201Complaint ( Filing fee $ 402, receipt number AVAEDC-8763373.), filed by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Civil Cover Sheet)(Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 01/20/2023)
2023-01-20Initial Case Assignment to District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema and Magistrate Judge John F. Anderson. (dvanm) (Entered: 01/23/2023)
2023-01-242Financial Interest Disclosure Statement (Local Rule 7.1) by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 01/24/2023)
2023-01-243Proposed Summons re 1 Complaint, by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 01/24/2023)
2023-01-244Proposed Summons re 1 Complaint, by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 01/24/2023)
2023-01-255Summons Issued as to U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. NOTICE TO ATTORNEY: Please remove the headers and print two duplexed copies of the electronically issued summons for each Defendant. Please serve one copy of the summons and a copy of the Complaint upon each Defendant. Please ensure that your process server returns the service copy (executed or unexecuted) to your attention and electronically file it using the filing events, Summons Returned Executed as to USA or Summons Returned Unexecuted as to USA. (Attachments: # 1 Notice)(dvanm) (Entered: 01/25/2023)
2023-02-236NOTICE of Appearance by Peter B. Baumhart on behalf of U.S. Department Of Justice (Baumhart, Peter) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-237MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order)(Baumhart, Peter) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-238Opposition to 7 MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer filed by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-239ORDERED that that motion is GRANTED; and it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's deadline to respond to the complaint is extended until March 27, 2023 in re 7 Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 2/23/2023. (swil) (Entered: 02/24/2023)
2023-03-2710ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. Department Of Justice.(Baumhart, Peter) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-04-0711Motion to appear Pro Hac Vice by Brian J. Field and Certification of Local Counsel Jeffrey S. Beelaert Filing fee $ 75, receipt number AVAEDC-8881127. by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 04/07/2023)
2023-04-0712ORDER granting 11 Motion for Pro hac vice Appointed Brian James Field for Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 4/7/2023. (swil) (Entered: 04/07/2023)
2023-04-1213[VACATED per ECF 16] SCHEDULING ORDER:Initial Pretrial Conference set for 5/3/2023 at 11:00 AM in Alexandria Courtroom 501 before Magistrate Judge John F. Anderson. Discovery due by 8/18/2023. Final Pretrial Conference set for 8/24/2023 at 10:00 AM in Alexandria Courtroom 700 before District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 4/12/23. (Attachments: # 1 Mag.Consent, # 2 Pretrial Notice)(yguy) Modified on 4/25/2023 (swil). (Entered: 04/13/2023)
2023-04-2414NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew J. Mezger on behalf of U.S. Department Of Justice (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 04/24/2023)
2023-04-2415MOTION to Vacate 13 Scheduling Order, (Unopposed) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order)(Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 04/24/2023)
2023-04-2416ORDERED that the motion is GRANTED; and it is hereby ORDERED that the Court's initial scheduling order (Dkt. 13) accordingly is VACATED in re 15 Motion to Vacate. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 4/24/2023. (swil) (Entered: 04/25/2023)
2023-05-2517Consent MOTION to Stay the Proceedings by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Order)(Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 05/25/2023)
2023-05-2518ORDERED that 17 Defendant's Consent Motion to Stay the Proceedings is GRANTED; it is further ORDERED that this civil action is STAYED until further Order of this Court; and it is further ORDERED that the parties shall file joint status reports with this Court every thirty (30) days from the date of this Order. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 05/25/2023. (dvanm) (Entered: 05/25/2023)
2023-06-2619STATUS REPORT (Joint) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 06/26/2023)
2023-07-2620STATUS REPORT (Joint) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 07/26/2023)
2023-08-0921ORDERED that plaintiff's request for a processing order be and is DENIED. Signed by District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema on 08/09/2023. (dvanm) (Entered: 08/09/2023)
2023-08-2522STATUS REPORT (Joint) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 08/25/2023)
2023-09-2523STATUS REPORT (Joint) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 09/25/2023)
2023-10-2524STATUS REPORT by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 10/25/2023)
2023-11-2725STATUS REPORT by Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research. (Beelaert, Jeffrey) (Entered: 11/27/2023)
2023-12-2726STATUS REPORT (Joint) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 12/27/2023)
2024-01-2627STATUS REPORT (Joint) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 01/26/2024)
2024-02-2628STATUS REPORT (Joint) by U.S. Department Of Justice. (Mezger, Matthew) (Entered: 02/26/2024)
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