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Case TitleLAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv02130
Date Filed2018-09-13
Date Closed2019-04-12
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffLAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC.
Case DescriptionThe Lambda Legal Defense Fund submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning communications between Brett Kavanaugh and various officials at HHS during the Bush administration concerning media stories by Margaret Gallagher or Michael McManus. Lambda Legal Defense Fund also requested expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Lambda Legal Defense Fund filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Expedited processing, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2018-09-131COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5687183) filed by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney, # 3 Summons Attorney General, # 4 Summons HHS, # 5 Exhibit A)(France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/13/2018)
2018-09-132LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC. (France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/13/2018)
2018-09-133MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Declaration)(France, Elizabeth). Added MOTION for Preliminary Injunction on 9/18/2018 (znmw). (Entered: 09/13/2018)
2018-09-14Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (zsb) (Entered: 09/14/2018)
2018-09-144SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 09/14/2018)
2018-09-185RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 9/14/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 10/14/2018.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 9/14/2018., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 9/14/2018 (France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/18/2018)
2018-09-206NOTICE of Appearance by Michael Fraser Knapp on behalf of All Defendants (Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 09/20/2018)
2018-09-207PROPOSED BRIEFING SCHEDULE re 3 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order MOTION for Preliminary Injunction by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC.. (France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/20/2018)
2018-09-21MINUTE ORDER adopting 7 the parties' proposed briefing schedule: It is hereby ORDERED that the following schedule shall govern proceedings on the Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order or Preliminary Injunction: Defendant shall file its opposition to the motion on or before September 24, 2018; Plaintiff shall file its reply on or before September 26, 2018. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 9/21/18. (lcrc1) (Entered: 09/21/2018)
2018-09-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Opposition due by 9/24/2018; Reply due by 9/26/2018. (tj) (Entered: 09/21/2018)
2018-09-248Memorandum in opposition to re 3 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order MOTION for Preliminary Injunction filed by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Michael Marquis with Exhibits A and B, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 09/24/2018)
2018-09-249NOTICE of Appearance by Elizabeth J. Shapiro on behalf of All Defendants (Shapiro, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/24/2018)
2018-09-2610REPLY to opposition to motion re 3 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order MOTION for Preliminary Injunction filed by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC.. (France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 09/26/2018)
2018-10-0411MEMORANDUM OPINION & ORDER denying 3 Plaintiff's Motion for Temporary Restraining Order or Preliminary Injunction. See document for details. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 10/4/18. (lcrc1) (Entered: 10/04/2018)
2018-10-0512NOTICE of Change of Address by Michael Fraser Knapp (Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 10/05/2018)
2018-10-1513ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - Notice of Expedited Processing)(Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 10/15/2018)
2018-10-15MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and submit a proposed briefing schedule on or before October 29, 2018. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 10/15/18. (lcrc1) (Entered: 10/15/2018)
2018-10-2514Joint STATUS REPORT by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC.. (France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 10/25/2018)
2018-10-25MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 14 the Parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before November 26, 2018. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 10/25/18. (lcrc1) (Entered: 10/25/2018)
2018-10-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 11/26/2018 (tj) (Entered: 10/26/2018)
2018-11-2115Joint STATUS REPORT by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC.. (France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 11/21/2018)
2018-11-26MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 15 the Parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before January 25, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 11/26/18. (lcrc1) (Entered: 11/26/2018)
2018-11-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 1/25/2019 (gdf) (Entered: 11/26/2018)
2019-01-1716Unopposed MOTION to Stay by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 01/17/2019)
2019-01-25MINUTE ORDER granting 16 Motion to Stay: It is hereby ORDERED that this case is STAYED until appropriations are restored to the Department of Justice. It is FURTHER ORDERED that the joint status report previously due on January 25, 2019 shall be due within 14 days of the restoration of appropriations. The Court notes that this stay does not impact HHS's responsibility to continue processing Plaintiff's FOIA requests at issue in this matter. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 1/25/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 01/25/2019)
2019-01-2817NOTICE of Restoration of Appropriations by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 01/28/2019)
2019-02-0818Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-02-08MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 18 the Parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before March 11, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 2/8/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-03-1119Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-11MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 19 the Parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before April 8, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 3/11/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 03/11/2019)
2019-03-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 4/8/2019 (tj) (Entered: 03/21/2019)
2019-04-0520Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Knapp, Michael) (Entered: 04/05/2019)
2019-04-08MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 20 the Parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before April 15, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 4/8/19. (lcrc1) (Entered: 04/08/2019)
2019-04-1221STIPULATION of Dismissal by LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND, INC.. (France, Elizabeth) (Entered: 04/12/2019)
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