FOIA Activity: 17 New Procedural or Substantive Decisions

We have added 17 decisions of a procedural or substantive nature filed between November 15, 2015 and November 28, 2015. These are associated with 13 FOIA cases pending in federal district court. Note that because there can be delays between the date a decision is made and when it shows up on PACER, this listing includes only decisions that appeared on PACER during this period.

Click on the date to view the full text of the decision. Click on a case title below to view other details for that case, including links to the docket report and complaint.

1. CAE 2:2015cv01590 — (TEMP) Lowery v. National Transportation Safety Board, et al

   • November 25, 2015: ORDER signed by Senior Judge William B. Shubb on 11/25/2015 GRANTING the parties' [14] Stipulation: Plaintiff is granted leave to file a First Amended Complaint within fourteen (14) days of this Order and must file it separately on the court docket; 2) Defendants shall file a response to the First Amendment Complaint within twenty-one (21) days of receiving written notice from plaintiff that the First Amended Complaint has been filed; 3) [10] Defendants' Motion to Dismiss is withdra wn without prejudice to being refiled at a later date consistent with this Order; 4) The 11/30/2015 hearing date on defendants' Motion to Dismiss is taken off calendar; 5) The Scheduling Conference currently scheduled for 1/4/2016 at 2:00 p.m. is continued to 2/1/2016 at 01:30 PM in Courtroom 5 (WBS) before Senior Judge William B. Shubb; and 6) The time in which the parties are to file their Joint Status Report is hereby extended from 12/21/2015 to 1/19/2016 pursuant to the [5] Court's "Order Re: Status (Pretrial Scheduling) Conference" filed 7/24/2015. (Kirksey Smith, K)
2. CAN 3:2006cv00185 — Pickard v. Department of Justice

   • November 16, 2015: ORDER IN RESPONSE TO LETTER FROM PICKARD'S COUNSEL NOVEMBER 16, 2015. Re: Dkt. No. [223] Signed by Judge Nathanael Cousins on 11/16/2015. (lmh, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 11/16/2015)
3. CAN 3:2010cv03759 — The American Civil Liberties Union of North California et al v. Federal Bureau of Investigation

   • November 17, 2015: ORDER REGARDING CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT. Signed by Judge Richard Seeborg on 11/17/15. (cl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 11/17/2015)
   • November 19, 2015: ORDER permitting withdrawal of Attorney Christie Leigh Yang. Signed by Judge Richard Seeborg on 11/18/15. (cl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 11/19/2015)
   • November 19, 2015: ORDER permitting withdrawal of Attorney Debra Urteaga.. Signed by Judge Richard Seeborg on 11/18/15. (cl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 11/19/2015)
   • November 19, 2015: ORDER permitting withdrawal of Attorney Patricia X Svilik. Signed by Judge Richard Seeborg on 11/18/15. (cl, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 11/19/2015)
4. CAN 3:2014cv01130 — Our Children's Earth Foundation et al v. National Marine Fisheries Service et al

   • November 24, 2015: ORDER FOR RESPONSE – Plaintiffs may file a reply by 12/8/2015 re [34] MOTION for Partial Summary Judgment. Signed by Judge William H. Orrick on 11/4/2015. (jmdS, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 11/24/2015)
5. CO 1:2014cv02496 — Rocky Mountain Wild, Inc v. U.S. Forest Service et al

   • November 25, 2015: ORDER Denying [36] Defendants Motion to Clarify Regarding Search and Production of Records for Certain Forest Service Custodians. The five named custodians are not relieved from inclusion in the search for responsive records, as defined in the September 30, 2015 Order, by Judge Wiley Y. Daniel on 11/25/2015.(evana, )
6. DC 1:2013cv00239 — TIPOGRAPH v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

   • November 24, 2015: MEMORANDUM OPINION re [47] Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 11/24/2015. (lccrc3)
7. DC 1:2013cv00921 — OCASIO v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

   • November 24, 2015: MEMORANDUM AND OPINION: Re Defendant's [45] Motion for Summary Judgment. The Clerk of the Court shall mail a copy of this order using a typewritten envelope to: JUAN CARLOS OCASIO, 2245 Baker Avenue, Apartment 5D, Bronx, NY 10467. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 11/24/15. (DJS) Modified on 11/24/2015 (DJS).
8. DC 1:2014cv01590 — NOLEN v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

   • November 19, 2015: MEMORANDUM OPINION re: [9] Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment and [12] Plaintiff's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/19/2015. (lcapm1)
9. DC 1:2014cv01786 — THOMPSON v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CRIMINAL DIVISION et al

   • November 19, 2015: MEMORANDUM OPINION re: [19] Order on Defendants' [4] Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Judge James E. Boasberg on 11/19/15. (lcjeb3)
10. PAE 2:2015cv05047 — SLAUGHTER v. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY et al

    • November 16, 2015: MEMORANDUM AND/OR OPINION. SIGNED BY HONORABLE BERLE M. SCHILLER ON 11/16/15. 11/16/15 ENTERED AND COPIES EMAILED.(rf, )
    • November 16, 2015: MEMORANDUM AND ORDER THAT DEFENDANTS MOTION TO DISMISS (DOC. 5) IS GRANTED. THE COMPLAINT IS DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. PLAINTIFFS MOTION FOR LEAVE TO AMEND THE COMPLAINT (DOC. 6) IS DENIED. THE CLERK OF COURT IS DIRECTED TO CLOSE THIS CASE. SIGNED BY HONORABLE BERLE M. SCHILLER ON 11/16/15. 11/16/15 ENTERED AND COPIES EMAILED.(rf, )
11. TNW 2:2015cv02629 — Harper v. Mastroianni et al

    • November 17, 2015: ORDER adopting the Magistrate Judge's Recommendation; Order Terminating Parties; Order to Issue and Effect Service of Process. Signed by Judge S. Thomas Anderson on 11/17/15. (Anderson, S.)
12. VAE 2:2014cv00577 — Virginian-Pilot Media Companies, LLC et al v. Department of Justice

    • November 25, 2015: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER: granting in part and denying in part [28] Motion for Summary Judgment; granting in part and denying in part [39] MOTION for Summary Judgment That Defendant has Violated the Freedom of Information Act and that Plaintiff s are the Prevailing Parties in this Suit ; denying [44] Motion to Lift Stay on Discovery, to Expedite Responses to the Discovery that has been Filed, and to Allow the Deposition of the Individual Who Made the Decisions Involved in this Lawsuit. D efendant's Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED IN PART and GRANTED IN PART. The Court finds Defendant violated FOIA's statutory time to respond and failed to initially conduct a reasonable search in response to Plaintiffs' FOIA reque st. Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART. The Court finds that Plaintiffs are the prevailing party, but Defendant properly withheld exempt material and an in camera inspection is declined. Plaintiffs' Motion to Lift Stay on Discovery is DENIED. Plaintiffs shall file documentation to support their request for attorney's fees within FOURTEEN (14) DAYS) of this Order. Signed by District Judge Raymond A. Jackson on 11/25/2015. (bgra)
13. WVN 1:2014cv00179 — Ramey v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service

    • November 17, 2015: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ADOPTING REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION [38] , GRANTING DEFENDANTS MOTION TO DISMISS [32] , AND DISMISSING CASE WITHOUT PREJUDICE: The Court ADOPTS the R&R [38] , OVERRULES Rameys objections, GRANTS the Commissioners motion to d ismiss [32] , and DISMISSES the case WITHOUT PREJUDICE.It DENIES Rameys request for attorney fees and filing fees, as he has not substantially prevailed in the case. The Court DIRECTS the Clerk of Court to enter a separate judgment order. Signed by District Judge Irene M. Keeley on 11/17/15. (jss) (Additional attachment(s) added on 11/17/2015: # 1 Certified Mail Return Receipt) (jss).