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Case TitlePHILLIPS v. ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv02087
Date Filed2020-07-30
Date Closed2024-09-03
JudgeJudge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
PlaintiffJOSHUA PHILLIPS
Case DescriptionJoshua Phillips, a freelance journalist, submitted two FOIA requests to the Administration for Children and Families for records. The first request asked for records concerning emergency operational planning. The second request asked for records concerning mental health intervention. Phillips also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests and granted expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Phillips filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
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
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-07-301COMPLAINT against ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-7406260) filed by JOSHUA PHILLIPS. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Exhibit 3, # 4 Exhibit 4, # 5 Exhibit 5, # 6 Exhibit 6, # 7 Exhibit 7, # 8 Exhibit 8, # 9 Civil Cover Sheet, # 10 Summons)(Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 07/30/2020)
2020-07-302NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of JOSHUA PHILLIPS (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 07/30/2020)
2020-07-303NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of JOSHUA PHILLIPS (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 07/30/2020)
2020-07-31Case assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (zmc) (Entered: 07/31/2020)
2020-07-314SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmc) (Entered: 07/31/2020)
2020-08-035ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 08/03/2020. (DM) (Entered: 08/03/2020)
2020-09-146NOTICE of Appearance by Sian Jones on behalf of All Defendants (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 09/14/2020)
2020-09-147ANSWER to Complaint by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Jones, Sian) (Entered: 09/14/2020)
2020-09-148ORDER for meet and confer and joint status report. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 9/14/2020. (lcckk3) (Entered: 09/14/2020)
2020-09-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Meet & Confer Statement due by 11/6/2020. (dot) (Entered: 09/15/2020)
2020-09-299RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES served on 8/13/2020 (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-09-2910RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 8/13/2020 (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-09-2911RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 8/14/2020. (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-09-2912RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/14/2020. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/13/2020. (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 09/29/2020)
2020-11-0613Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 11/06/2020)
2020-11-09MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the parties' 13 Status Report. Defendants indicate that they have completed an initial search in response to Plaintiff's FOIA request which yielded approximately 4,160 potentially responsive documents. The Court ORDERS the parties to file a further status report by JANUARY 5, 2021, updating the Court on the status of Defendants' response to Plaintiff's FOIA request. The Court further ORDERS the parties to file further status reports every 60 days thereafter. The parties may file additional status reports if issues arise requiring the Court's attention. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 11/9/2020. (lcckk3) (Entered: 11/09/2020)
2020-11-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/5/2021, updating the Court on the status of Defendants' response to Plaintiff's FOIA request. (dot) (Entered: 11/09/2020)
2021-01-0514Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 01/05/2021)
2021-03-0515Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/05/2021)
2021-05-0416Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 05/04/2021)
2021-07-0617Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 07/06/2021)
2021-09-0718Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 09/07/2021)
2021-11-0819Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 11/08/2021)
2022-01-0720Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 01/07/2022)
2022-03-0821Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/08/2022)
2022-05-0922Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 05/09/2022)
2022-07-0823Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 07/08/2022)
2022-09-0724Joint STATUS REPORT (Nunc Pro Tunc) by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 09/07/2022)
2022-11-0725Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 11/07/2022)
2023-01-0626Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 01/06/2023)
2023-02-2727NOTICE of Appearance by Merrick Jason Wayne on behalf of JOSHUA PHILLIPS (Wayne, Merrick) (Entered: 02/27/2023)
2023-03-0728Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/07/2023)
2023-05-0829Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 05/08/2023)
2023-07-0730Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 07/07/2023)
2023-08-2931NOTICE of Appearance by Michael David Wagner on behalf of All Defendants (Wagner, Michael) (Entered: 08/29/2023)
2023-09-0532Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Wagner, Michael) (Entered: 09/05/2023)
2023-11-0633Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Wagner, Michael) (Entered: 11/06/2023)
2024-01-0534Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Wagner, Michael) (Entered: 01/05/2024)
2024-03-0535Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/05/2024)
2024-05-0336Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 05/03/2024)
2024-07-0237Joint STATUS REPORT by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 07/02/2024)
2024-08-3038STIPULATION of Dismissal by ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 08/30/2024)
2024-09-0339ORDER dismissing case with prejudice. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 9/3/2024. (lcckk3) (Entered: 09/03/2024)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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