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Case TitleHERITAGE FOUNDATION et al v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv00200
Date Filed2024-01-23
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Reggie B. Walton
PlaintiffHERITAGE FOUNDATION
PlaintiffMIKE HOWELL
Case DescriptionThe Heritage Foundation submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning Attorney General Merrick Garland's basis for making statement about Special Counsel David Weiss' authority in the investigation of Hunter Biden. The Heritage Foundation also requested expedited processing and a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency denied the request because it failed to adequately describe the records sought. The Heritage Foundation filed an administrative appeal of the denial. The agency acknowledged receipt of the appeal but after hearing nothing further from the agency, the Heritage Foundation filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
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Complaint attachment 18
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2024-01-231COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE with Jury Demand ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-10639699) filed by HERITAGE FOUNDATION, MIKE HOWELL. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Exhibit 1, # 6 Exhibit 2, # 7 Exhibit 3, # 8 Exhibit 4, # 9 Exhibit 5, # 10 Exhibit 6, # 11 Exhibit 7, # 12 Exhibit 8, # 13 Exhibit 9, # 14 Exhibit 10, # 15 Exhibit 11, # 16 Exhibit 12, # 17 Exhibit 13, # 18 Exhibit 14)(Dewey, Samuel) (Entered: 01/23/2024)
2024-01-232NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by HERITAGE FOUNDATION, MIKE HOWELL. Case related to Case No. 23-cv-1854. (Dewey, Samuel) (Entered: 01/23/2024)
2024-01-25Case Assigned to Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. (zcb) (Entered: 01/25/2024)
2024-01-253SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zcb) (Entered: 01/25/2024)
2024-01-254STANDARD ORDER for Civil Cases. See text for details. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on January 25, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 01/25/2024)
2024-01-315NOTICE of Appearance by Jason C. Lynch on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Lynch, Jason) (Entered: 01/31/2024)
2024-01-316NOTICE of Objection Under Local Civil Rule 40.5(b)(2) to Plaintiffs' 2 Notice of Designation of Related Civil Cases by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Lynch, Jason) (Entered: 01/31/2024)
2024-01-31MINUTE ORDER. The plaintiffs are directed to file a response—not to exceed 5 pages—to the defendant's 6 Objection to Plaintiffs' Related-Case Designation on or before February 7, 2024. So Ordered by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on January 31, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 01/31/2024)
2024-02-017NOTICE of Appearance by Eric Neal Cornett on behalf of HERITAGE FOUNDATION, MIKE HOWELL (Cornett, Eric) (Entered: 02/01/2024)
2024-02-078RESPONSE re 6 Notice (Other) filed by HERITAGE FOUNDATION, MIKE HOWELL. (Dewey, Samuel) (Entered: 02/07/2024)
2024-02-139ORDER regarding the plaintiffs' 2 Notice of Designation of Related Civil Cases. Upon consideration of the parties' submissions, the Court concludes that this case is not related to Heritage Foundation v. U.S. Department of Justice , 23-cv-1854, under Local Rule 40.5(a)(3). The Clerk of Court is directed to transfer this case to the Calendar and Case Management Committee under Local Rule 40.5(c)(1) for further proceedings. See text for details. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on February 13, 2024. (lcdlf2) (Entered: 02/13/2024)
2024-02-14Case randomly reassigned to Judge Reggie B. Walton as the case is not related to an earlier filed case. Judge Dabney L. Friedrich is no longer assigned to the case. (rj) (Entered: 02/14/2024)
2024-02-2610ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Lynch, Jason) (Entered: 02/26/2024)
2024-03-0811GENERAL ORDER FOR CIVIL CASES BEFORE THE HONORABLE REGGIE B. WALTON. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on March 8, 2024. (lcrbw1) (Entered: 03/08/2024)
2024-03-08MINUTE ORDER. To ensure the expeditious resolution of this action, and because this qualifies as an exempted case under Local Civil Rule 16.3(b), it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before April 8, 2024, the parties shall file a joint proposed briefing schedule governing further proceedings. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on March 8, 2024. (lcrbw1) (Entered: 03/08/2024)
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