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Case TitleAMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv01752
Date Filed2019-06-17
Date Closed2020-09-14
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffAMERICAN OVERSIGHT
Case DescriptionAmerican Oversight submitted three FOIA requests to the Department of Transportation for records concerning calendars and calendar entries for Secretary Elaine Chao and other senior officials. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, American Oversight filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

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

2019-06-171COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-6192501) filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons as to USAO, # 3 Summons as to AG, # 4 Summons as to DOT)(Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 06/17/2019)
2019-06-172LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 06/17/2019)
2019-06-17Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zef, ) (Entered: 06/17/2019)
2019-06-173SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zef, ) (Entered: 06/17/2019)
2019-06-254REQUEST FOR SUMMONS TO ISSUE filed by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT.(Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 06/25/2019)
2019-06-255SUMMONS (1) ReIssued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (ztd) Modified on 7/1/2019 (ztd). (Entered: 06/25/2019)
2019-07-096RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 6/21/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 7/21/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 6/28/2019., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION served on 7/1/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Creighton, Sara) (Entered: 07/09/2019)
2019-07-227NOTICE of Appearance by Derek S. Hammond on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 07/22/2019)
2019-07-228ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.(Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 07/22/2019)
2019-07-25MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address 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, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues no later than 8/30/19. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/25/19. (DJS) (Entered: 07/25/2019)
2019-07-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/30/2019. (tb) (Entered: 07/30/2019)
2019-08-309NOTICE of Appearance by Khahilia Y. Shaw on behalf of AMERICAN OVERSIGHT (Shaw, Khahilia) (Main Document 9 replaced on 8/30/2019) (ztd). (Entered: 08/30/2019)
2019-08-3010Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 08/30/2019)
2019-09-03MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' joint status report 10 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report by October 8, 2019, and every sixty days thereafter. A proposed order shall accompany the report to the extent it contains a proposed briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 9/3/19. (DJS) (Entered: 09/03/2019)
2019-09-04Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/8/2019. (tb) (Entered: 09/04/2019)
2019-10-0811Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 10/08/2019)
2019-12-0912NOTICE of Appearance by William J. Chang on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Chang, William) (Entered: 12/09/2019)
2019-12-0913Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Chang, William) (Entered: 12/09/2019)
2020-02-0714Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 02/07/2020)
2020-04-0715Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 04/07/2020)
2020-06-0816Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Shaw, Khahilia) (Entered: 06/08/2020)
2020-08-0717Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (Hammond, Derek) (Entered: 08/07/2020)
2020-09-1018STIPULATION of Dismissal by AMERICAN OVERSIGHT. (Shaw, Khahilia) (Entered: 09/10/2020)
2020-09-10MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' Stipulation of Dismissal 18 , this action is hereby DIMISSED with prejudice. Each party to bear its own costs, fees and expenses. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 9/10/2020. (DJS) (Entered: 09/10/2020)
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