FOIA Activity: 17 New Procedural or Substantive Decisions

We have added 17 decisions of a procedural or substantive nature filed between April 5, 2020 and April 11, 2020. These are associated with 17 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. CAN 5:2018cv04009 — Mohammad v. Federal Bureau of Investigation

   • April 9, 2020: ORDER GRANTING [26] STIPULATION to Extend FOIA Production Completion Date to 7/31/2020. Further Case Management Conference set for 5/20/2020, is continued to 8/19/2020, at 10:00 AM. Joint Case Management Statement due by 8/12/2020. Signed by Judge Nathanael Cousins on 4/9/2020. (lmh, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 4/9/2020)
2. CT 3:2017cv01660 — Vietnam Veterans of America et al v. Defense

   • April 8, 2020: ORDER: For the reasons set forth in the attached document, the plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. [30] ) is hereby DENIED and the defendant's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. [33] ) is hereby GRANTED. It is so ordered. Signed by Judge Alvin W. Thompson on 4/8/2020. (Clough, M.)
3. DC 1:2013cv00831 — CANNING et al v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

   • April 8, 2020: MEMORANDUM OPINION: The Court will GRANT Defendant's motion for summary judgment, Dkt. [88] , and will DENY Plaintiffs' motions for summary judgment, Dkt. [86] , Dkt. [90] A separate order will issue. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 4/8/20. (lcrdm3, )
4. DC 1:2016cv01616 — KING & SPALDING, LLP v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES et al

   • April 7, 2020: MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER granting [74] Defendants' Motion for Reconsideration and vacating the court's February 10, 2020 Minute Order; and granting [78] Plaintiff's Motion for Leave to File a Surreply in Opposition to Defendants&#039 ; Motion for Reconsideration. Unless Plaintiff notifies the court by April 9, 2020, that it intends to withdraw its fees request, the clerk of the court shall make available on the public docket Exhibits A and B in support of Plaintiff's Motion for Attorneys' Fees. See the attached Memorandum Opinion & Order for further details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 04/07/2020. (lcapm3)
5. DC 1:2018cv01173 — CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY et al

   • April 6, 2020: MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 4/6/2020. (lcabj2)
6. DC 1:2018cv01599 — CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

   • April 7, 2020: MEMORANDUM OPINION regarding the government's [16] Motion for Summary Judgment and the plaintiff's [18] Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. See text for details. Signed by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich on April 7, 2020. (lcdlf1)
7. DC 1:2018cv02373 — CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

   • April 6, 2020: MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 4/6/2020. (lcabj2)
8. DC 1:2020cv00807 — MILLER v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al

   • April 7, 2020: MEMORANDUM AND OPINION. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 4/7/20. (ms)
9. ILN 1:2014cv03305 — Stevens v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement

   • April 8, 2020: MEMORANDUM Opinion and Order: For the reasons stated herein, Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. No. 126) is granted in part and denied in part, and Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. No. 131) is granted in part and denied in part. Signed by the Honorable Harry D. Leinenweber on 4/8/2020:Mailed notice (maf)
10. MT 9:2019cv00165 — Buffalo Field Campaign v. United States Department of Interior, National Park Service

    • April 6, 2020: ORDER granting [12] Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Attorney Daniel C. Snyder for Buffalo Field Campaign. Acknowledgment of PHV Order due within fifteen days. Signed by Judge Donald W. Molloy on 4/6/2020. (NOS)
11. NYS 1:2019cv05881 — Adhikaar et al v. United States Department of Homeland Security et al

    • April 10, 2020: MEMO ENDORSEMENT granting [42] Motion to Stay. ENDORSEMENT: Application granted. This case is stayed with respect to Defendant U.S. Department of State, including its monthly deadlines to process and release documents to Plaintiff. The parties are directed to submit a joint status letter to the Court no later than June 9, 2020. (Signed by Judge Gregory H. Woods on 4/10/2020) (mro) Modified on 4/15/2020 (mro).
12. NYS 1:2019cv06658 — American Immigration Council et al v. Executive Office For Immigration Review et al

    • April 6, 2020: ORDER… It is hereby ORDERED that the above-captioned action is discontinued without costs to any party and without prejudice to restoring the action to this Court's calendar if the application to restore the action is made within thirty (3 0) days. To be clear, any application to reopen must be filed within thirty days of this Order; any application to reopen filed thereafter may be denied solely on that basis. All scheduled conferences are hereby adjourned. Within the thirty-day per iod provided for in this Order, the parties may submit to the Court their own Stipulation of Dismissal for the Court to So Order. Pursuant to Rule 5.A. of the Court's Individual Practices in Civil Cases, the Court will not retain jurisdiction to enforce a settlement agreement unless the terms of the agreement are made part of the public record. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 4/6/20) (yv)
13. NYS 1:2020cv02283 — The Legal Aid Society v. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

    • April 8, 2020: ORDER: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that a telephonic status conference is SET for May 6, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. The parties are directed to call (888) 251-2909 and use access code 2123101. In advance of that conference, the parties are ORDERED to meet and conf er with respect to (1) a briefing schedule for any motion to dismiss; and (2) to the extent any categories of document production will not be the subject of a motion to dismiss or the Government will not make a motion to dismiss, a schedule for production of those categories of documents. SO ORDERED. ( Telephone Conference set for 5/6/2020 at 04:00 PM before Judge Lewis J. Liman.) (Signed by Judge Lewis J. Liman on 4/8/2020) (va)
14. NYS 1:2020cv02761 — Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention et al

    • April 6, 2020: ORDER: To conserve resources, to promote judicial efficiency, and in an effort to achieve a faster disposition of this matter, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties discuss whether they are willing to consent, under 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), to conducting all further proceedings before the assigned Magistrate Judge. (As further set forth in this Order.) The parties are free to withhold consent without negative consequences. (Signed by Judge Analisa Torres on 4/6/2020) (cf)
15. NYS 1:2020cv02799 — Lora v. JFK International Airport U.S. Customs and Border Protections

    • April 8, 2020: TRANSFER ORDER: The Clerk of Court is directed to mail a copy of this order to Plaintiff and note service on the docket. The Clerk of Court is further directed to transfer this action to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Whether Plaintiff should be permitted to proceed further without prepayment of fees, and whether his "Motion to Compel Response to 'Freedom of Information Act' Request" should be granted, are determinations to be made by the transferee court. (ECF 1, 4.) A summons shall not issue from this Court. This order closes this case. The Court certifies, pursuant to 28 U.S.C § 1915(a)(3), that any appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith, and th erefore in forma pauperis status is denied for the purpose of an appeal. See Coppedge v. United States, 369 U.S. 438, 444-45 (1962). (Signed by Judge Colleen McMahon on 4/8/2020) (sac) Transmission to Docket Assistant Clerk for processing. Transmission to Office of the Clerk of Court for processing.
16. WAW 2:2018cv00655 — Mora-Villalpando v. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement et al

    • April 7, 2020: JOINT STATUS REPORT AND ORDER re [59] Joint Status Report. The parties will submit another joint status report within 60 days of the date of this order. Signed by Judge James L. Robart. (TH)
17. WAW 2:2019cv00645 — National Parks Conservation Association v. US Department of the Navy

    • April 8, 2020: MINUTE ORDER: Having reviewed the parties' Joint Status Report, docket no. [20] , and the Declarations of Tom Buchele, docket no. [21] , and Commander Erin Quay, docket no. [22] , the Court ORDERS as follows. (a) On or before 5/8/2020, defendant shall (i) release to plaintiff any and all materials not previously produced that are responsive to plaintiff's requests under the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") and not exempt from disclosure, and (ii) provide plaintiff with a "Vaughn index" listing each withheld document and explaining why it was not disclosed. See Vaughn v. Rosen, 484 F.2d 820 (D.C. Cir. 1973). (b) Dispositive motions shall be filed by 5/28/2020, and noted for the fourth Friday thereafter. Authorized by Judge Thomas S. Zilly. (MW)