FOIA Activity: 11 New Procedural or Substantive Decisions

We have added 11 decisions of a procedural or substantive nature filed between June 28, 2020 and July 4, 2020. These are associated with 10 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. DC 1:2012cv00313 — SHAPIRO v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

   • July 2, 2020: MEMORANDUM OPINION regarding defendant's [97] Motion for Summary Judgment, defendant's [102] Request for Discovery Pursuant to Rule 56(d), and defendant's [105] Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on July 2, 2020. (lcbah4)
2. DC 1:2019cv02643 — AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS

   • July 2, 2020: MEMORANDUM OPINION granting [11] Defendant's Partial Motion to Dismiss. See document for details. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 7/2/2020. (lcrc1)
3. NYS 1:2019cv00385 — Junk v. Board Of Governors Of The Federal Reserve System.

   • June 29, 2020: ORDER: This case having been remanded to this Court, it is hereby ORDERED that by July 17, 2020, the parties shall provide a status letter, including any proposals for future proceedings. (Signed by Judge Denise L. Cote on 6/29/2020) (jca)
4. NYS 1:2019cv01337 — Buzzfeed, Inc. v. U.S. Department of the Air Force

   • June 29, 2020: ORDER: The Court is in receipt of the Parties' June 18, 2020 letter. ECF No. 36. The Court will not order the submission of Rule 56.1 statements at this time. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr on 6/29/2020) (rj)
5. NYS 1:2020cv01946 — Documented NY v. United States Department of State et al

   • June 30, 2020: ORDER: In light of the COVID-19 public health crisis, the Court will not hold the upcoming initial pretrial conference in this case in person. By July 6, 2020 at 6 p.m., the parties shall submit a joint letter indicating whether they can do with out a conference altogether. If so, the Court may enter their case management plan and scheduling order and the parties need not appear. If not, the Court will hold the initial pretrial conference by telephone, albeit perhaps at a different time t han the currently scheduled time. To that end, counsel should indicate in their joint letter all times on the date of the scheduled conference that they would be available for a telephone conference. In either case, counsel should review and comply with the Court's Emergency Individual Rules and Practices in Light of COVID-19, available at https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-alison-j-nathan. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 6/30/2020) (ks)
6. NYS 1:2020cv03063 — The New York Times Company v. Department of Health and Human Services

   • June 30, 2020: ORDER: At the parties' request, the above actions are consolidated for all purposes pursuant to Rule 42(a)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Any future filings shall be made only in Docket 20 Civ. 3063 and shall be deemed to be filed i n both cases. The parties are directed to confer and, by July 17, 2020, either file a plan pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) or file a letter containing a proposal (or separate proposals) for the disposition of these two cases. If the parties seek a conference with the Court, they may so state in their filing. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein on 6/30/2020) Filed In Associated Cases: 1:20-cv-03063-GWG, 1:20-cv-03145-GWG (jwh)
7. NYS 1:2020cv03145 — Dow Jones & Company, Inc. et al v. Department of Health & Human Services

   • June 29, 2020: ORDER: In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73, a United States Magistrate Judge is available to conduct all proceedings in this case, including but not limited to any decisions on motions, any jury or nonj ury trial, and/or the entry of a final judgment. An appeal from a judgment entered by a Magistrate Judge, if any, is taken directly to the United States Court of Appeals in the same manner as an appeal from any other judgment of this district court. It is the practice of the United States Magistrate Judges of this Court, including the undersigned, that cases that go to trial are given a firm trial date (rather than being placed on a "ready trial" list requiring the parties to be ready to try the case on short notice). Exercise of jurisdiction by a Magistrate Judge is permitted only if all parties voluntarilyconsent. To determine whether the parties wish to voluntarily consent, defense counsel is directed to send to counsel for pla intiff on or before July 1, 2020, a copy of the attached consent form bearing either (1) a signature indicating consent to the Magistrate Judge conducting all proceedings in this matter or (2) a notation that the defendant does not consent. On or bef ore July 6, 2020, plaintiff's counsel is directed to file a letter on ECF either stating that both sides have not consented or attaching the signed consent form. If any party has not consented, counsel for the plaintiff shall not inform the cler k which of the parties have not consented but shall merely state that there has not been consent by all parties. This Order is not intended to interfere with the parties' right to have a trial and/or any other dispositive proceedings before a Un ited States District Judge. The parties are free to withhold their consent without adverse substantive consequences, although this will prevent the Court's jurisdiction from being exercised by a United States Magistrate Judge. If any party withh olds consent, the identity of the parties consenting or withholding consent shall not be communicated to any Magistrate Judge or District Judge to whom the case has been assigned. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein on 6/26/2020) (ama)
8. NYS 1:2020cv04859 — LatinoJustice PRLDEF v. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

   • June 29, 2020: ORDER: The parties shall appear for a telephonic conference at 4:00 p.m. on July 2, 2020. They are directed to call (888) 251-2909 and use access code 2123101. SO ORDERED. ( Telephone Conference set for 7/2/2020 at 04:00 PM before Judge Lewis J. Liman.) (Signed by Judge Lewis J. Liman on 6/29/2020) (va)
   • July 1, 2020: ORDER: The Court is in receipt of Defendant's objection to the relatedness of this case with The Legal Aid Society v. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, No. 20-cv2283, and its request to adjourn the telephonic conf erence set for 4:00 p.m. on July 2, 2020. (Dkt. No. 15.) IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff file a response to the Government's letter no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 2, 2020. The conference previously set for June 2, 2020 is ADJOURNED sine die. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Lewis J. Liman on 7/1/2020) (va)
9. WAW 2:2017cv01854 — The University of Washington et al v. Department of Defense et al

   • July 2, 2020: ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE re failure to file joint status report by 7/1/2020. Show Cause Response due by 7/17/2020. Signed by Judge Marsha J. Pechman. (PM)
10. WAW 2:2020cv00813 — Rich v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

    • July 3, 2020: ORDER re parties' [5] Stipulated Motion for Extension of Time. Defendant's Response to the Complaint is due 8/5/2020. Signed by Judge James L. Robart. (PM)