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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2019cv03433
Date Filed2019-11-14
Date Closed2021-02-12
JudgeJudge Randolph D. Moss
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Census Bureau for records concerning hiring of non-citizens as translator or any other role to obtain an accurate count of immigrant community populations. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and asked Judicial Watch to clarify its request by identifying names of offices and/or individuals to search. After several back-and-forth discussions about the scope of the request without any further action on the part of the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
1401 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20230
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

2019-11-141COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-6562761) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, # 3 Summons U.S. Attorney General, # 4 Summons U.S. Department of Commerce)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 11/14/2019)
2019-11-142LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 11/14/2019)
2019-11-15Case assigned to Judge Randolph D. Moss. (zmc) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2019-11-153STANDING ORDER: The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the directives set forth in the attached Standing Order. See document for details. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 11/15/19. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2019-11-154SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Entered: 11/15/2019)
2019-11-255RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 11/25/2019. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 12/25/2019.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 11/25/2019., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE served on 11/25/2019 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 11/25/2019)
2019-12-266NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 12/26/2019)
2019-12-267ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 12/26/2019)
2019-12-26MINUTE ORDER: The parties are hereby ORDERED to appear for an Initial Scheduling Conference on January 21, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. It is further ORDERED that the parties shall file, on or before January 13, 2020, a joint status report addressing (1) any documents still to be produced pursuant to FOIA; (2) an anticipated schedule for processing and producing any such documents, and (3) any substantive areas of disagreement between the parties. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 12/26/19. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 12/26/2019)
2020-01-138Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 01/13/2020)
2020-01-16MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 8 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report to apprise the Court of the status of the records search on or before February 14, 2020. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 1/16/20. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 01/16/2020)
2020-01-21Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Randolph D. Moss: Initial Scheduling Conference held on 1/21/2020. Update provided to the Court. The parties will confer as to a production schedule. (Court Reporter: Jeff Hook.) (kt) (Entered: 01/21/2020)
2020-01-23MINUTE ORDER: The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the terms of the Court's revised standing order, which is available on the Court's website. Click for details. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 1/23/20. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 01/23/2020)
2020-02-149Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 02/14/2020)
2020-06-08MINUTE ORDER: In light of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 9 , which noted that it anticipated that Defendant would make a final response and document production by April 17, 2020, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before June 17, 2020, setting forth the parties' views regarding appropriate next steps in this case. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 6/8/2020. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 06/08/2020)
2020-06-1710Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 06/17/2020)
2020-06-22MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 10 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall submit a further joint status report on or before July 20, 2020. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 6/22/2020. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 06/22/2020)
2020-07-2011Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 07/20/2020)
2020-07-20MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 11 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further status report on or before August 19, 2020. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 7/20/2020. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 07/20/2020)
2020-08-1912Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 08/19/2020)
2020-08-19MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 12 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before November 19, 2020. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 8/19/2020. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 08/19/2020)
2020-11-1913Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/19/2020)
2020-12-03MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 13 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before January 18, 2021. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 12/03/2020. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 12/03/2020)
2021-01-1914Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 01/19/2021)
2021-01-19MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 14 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before February 19, 2021. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 01/19/2021. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 01/19/2021)
2021-02-1215STIPULATION of Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 02/12/2021)
2021-02-12MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' stipulation of dismissal, Dkt. 15 , it is hereby ORDERED that the case is DISMISSED with prejudice, with each party to bear its own attorney fees and costs. The Deputy Clerk of Court is directed to terminate this case. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 02/12/2021. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 02/12/2021)
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