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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv00213
Date Filed2023-01-25
Date Closed2023-12-13
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Defense for records concerning communications concerning the Marines that were standing behind President Biden during his September speech in Philadelphia. The agency acknowledged receipt of the record, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, 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 DEFENSE
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

2023-01-251COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9812627) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Department of Defense, # 3 Summons U.S. Attorney General, # 4 Summons U.S. Attorney)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 01/25/2023)
2023-01-252LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 01/25/2023)
2023-01-25Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (zrtw) (Entered: 01/25/2023)
2023-01-253SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zrtw) (Entered: 01/25/2023)
2023-02-074MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Patrick Francescon, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-9845651. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by JUDICIAL WATCH. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Patrick Francescon, # 2 Exhibit Certificate of Good Standing, # 3 Text of Proposed Order)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 02/07/2023)
2023-02-105RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/27/2023. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/26/2023.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 02/03/2023., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE served on 2/3/2023 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 02/10/2023)
2023-02-13MINUTE ORDER granting 4 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice : Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 83.2, it is hereby ORDERED that Patrick Francescon is admitted to represent Plaintiff JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. pro hac vice in this case. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a) Click for instructions . Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 2/13/2023. (lcrc1) (Entered: 02/13/2023)
2023-02-236NOTICE of Appearance by Stephen DeGenaro on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-237Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to Respond to the Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-24MINUTE ORDER granting 7 Defendant's Consent Motion for Extension of Time: It is hereby ORDERED that Defendant's Answer or other response to Plaintiff's Complaint is due on or before March 24, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 2/24/2023. (lcrc1) (Entered: 02/24/2023)
2023-02-278NOTICE of Appearance by Patrick Francescon on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH (Francescon, Patrick) (Entered: 02/27/2023)
2023-03-249ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.(DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 03/24/2023)
2023-03-2410STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 03/24/2023)
2023-05-0811NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by B. Kathryn Debrason on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Substituting for attorney Stephen M. DeGenaro (Debrason, B. Kathryn) (Entered: 05/08/2023)
2023-05-1612Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Debrason, B. Kathryn) (Entered: 05/16/2023)
2023-05-17MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 12 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before July 24, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 5/17/2023. (lcrc1) (Entered: 05/17/2023)
2023-05-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 7/24/2023 (tj) (Entered: 05/23/2023)
2023-07-2413Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Debrason, B. Kathryn) (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-2414ENTERED IN ERROR.....Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH. (Francescon, Patrick); Modified on 7/26/2023 (ztth). (Entered: 07/24/2023)
2023-07-25MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 13 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before September 22, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 7/25/2023. (lcrc3) (Entered: 07/25/2023)
2023-07-26NOTICE OF ERROR regarding 14 Status Report. The following error(s) need correction: Invalid attorney signature- signature on document must match PACER login. Please refile. (ztth) (Entered: 07/26/2023)
2023-09-2215Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Truong, John) (Entered: 09/22/2023)
2023-09-25MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 15 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before October 23, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 9/25/2023. (lcrc1) (Entered: 09/25/2023)
2023-10-1816NOTICE of Appearance by Kaitlin Kerry Eckrote on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 10/18/2023)
2023-10-2317Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 10/23/2023)
2023-10-23MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 17 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before November 22, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 10/23/2023. (lcrc1) (Entered: 10/23/2023)
2023-11-2218Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 11/22/2023)
2023-11-22MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 18 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another joint status report on or before December 22, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 11/22/2023. (lcrc1) (Entered: 11/22/2023)
2023-12-1219STIPULATION of Dismissal by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (Eckrote, Kaitlin) (Entered: 12/12/2023)
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