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Case TitleHERITAGE FOUNDATION et al v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv00326
Date Filed2024-02-02
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Trevor N. McFadden
PlaintiffHERITAGE FOUNDATION
PlaintiffMIKE HOWELL
Case DescriptionHeritage Foundation submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning three distinct specifications of records concerning the agency's response to congressional and media inquiries about the origin of COVID-19. Heritage Foundation also requested expedited processing and a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and asked Heritage Foundation for clarification. Heritage Foundation considered the clarification request as a constructive denial and filed an administrative appeal. The agency agreed to conduct a search but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Heritage Foundation filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

Defendant2255
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
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
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
Complaint attachment 11
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text
2024-02-021COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-10664698) 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 Errata 5, # 10 Exhibit 6, # 11 Exhibit 7)(Dewey, Samuel) (Entered: 02/02/2024)
2024-02-05Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (zsl) (Entered: 02/05/2024)
2024-02-062STANDING ORDER Establishing Procedures for Cases Before Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The parties are hereby ORDERED to read and comply with the directives in the attached Standing Order. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 2/6/2024. (lctnm2) (Entered: 02/06/2024)
2024-02-073SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 02/07/2024)
2024-03-114ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Venguswamy, Kartik) (Entered: 03/11/2024)
2024-03-12MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court are a complaint and an answer in this FOIA case. It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report proposing a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule should address, among other things, the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, and a briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if required. The parties shall file the schedule on or before April 15, 2024. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 3/12/2024. (lctnm2) (Entered: 03/12/2024)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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