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Case TitleOpen Society Justice Initiative v. Department of Health and Human Services et al
DistrictSouthern District of New York
CityFoley Square
Case Number1:2020cv06359
Date Filed2020-08-12
Date Closed2020-08-25
JudgeJudge Jesse M. Furman
PlaintiffOpen Society Justice Initiative
Case DescriptionThe Open Society Justice Initiative submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security for records concerning the agencies' response to Covid-19. OSJI also requested expedited processing and a fee waiver. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests. However, after hearing nothing further from any of the agencies, OSJI filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDepartment of Health and Human Services
DefendantCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
DefendantFood and Drug Administration
DefendantNational Institutes of Health
DefendantNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
DefendantDepartment Of Homeland Security
DefendantFederal Emergency Management Agency
Documents
Docket
Complaint
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User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-08-121COMPLAINT against Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department Of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Food and Drug Administration, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health. (Filing Fee $ 400.00, Receipt Number ANYSDC-21121428)Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - NIAID FOIA Request, # 2 Exhibit B - NIH FOIA Request, # 3 Exhibit C - FDA FOIA Request, # 4 Exhibit D - HHS FOIA Request, # 5 Exhibit E - CDC FOIA Request, # 6 Exhibit F - DHS/FEMA FOIA Request, # 7 Exhibit G - NIH FOIA Acknowledgement, # 8 Exhibit H - NIH FOIA Consolidation Request, # 9 Exhibit I - FDA FOIA Acknowledgement, # 10 Exhibit J - FDA FOIA Clarification Request, # 11 Exhibit K - May 5, 2020, Email from FDA to OSJI, # 12 Exhibit L - FDA Granting Expedited Processing, # 13 Exhibit M - HHS FOIA Acknowledgement, # 14 Exhibit N - CDC FOIA Acknowledgement, # 15 Exhibit O - DHS/FEMA FOIA Acknowledgement, # 16 Exhibit P - DHS/FEMA FOIA Clarification Request, # 17 Exhibit Q - Plaintiff's Response to DHS/FEMA Clarification, # 18 Exhibit R - FEMA FOIA Acknowledgement, # 19 Exhibit S - FEMA Transferring FOIA to DHS, # 20 Exhibit T - DHS FOIA Clarification Request, # 21 Exhibit U - Plaintiff's Response to DHS FOIA Clarification Request, # 22 Exhibit V - DHS Acknowledgement of Plaintiff's Response).(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-122STATEMENT OF RELATEDNESS re: that this action be filed as related to 20-cv-05096. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-123CIVIL COVER SHEET filed..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-124REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to Department of Health and Human Services, re: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-125REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, re: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-126REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to Food and Drug Administration, re: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-127REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to National Institutes of Health, re: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-128REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, re: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-129REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to Department of Homeland Security, re: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-1210REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to Federal Emergency Management Agency, re: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-1211RULE 7.1 CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. No Corporate Parent. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/12/2020)
2020-08-13CASE OPENING INITIAL ASSIGNMENT NOTICE: The above-entitled action is assigned to Judge Unassigned. .(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-13Case Designated ECF. (jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-13CASE REFERRED TO Judge Jesse M. Furman as possibly related to 20-cv-5096. (jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-1312ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-1313ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to Department of Health and Human Services..(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-1314ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to Department Of Homeland Security..(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-1315ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to Federal Emergency Management Agency..(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-1316ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to Food and Drug Administration..(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-1317ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases..(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-1318ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to National Institutes of Health..(jgo) (Entered: 08/13/2020)
2020-08-14CASE ACCEPTED AS RELATED. Create association to 1:20-cv-05096-JMF. Notice of Assignment to follow. (wb) (Entered: 08/14/2020)
2020-08-14NOTICE OF CASE REASSIGNMENT to Judge Jesse M. Furman. Judge Unassigned is no longer assigned to the case..(wb) (Entered: 08/14/2020)
2020-08-14Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox is so designated. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73(b)(1) parties are notified that they may consent to proceed before a United States Magistrate Judge. Parties who wish to consent may access the necessary form at the following link: https://nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/AO-3.pdf . (wb) (Entered: 08/14/2020)
2020-08-1419ORDER. The deadline to file the status letter in 20-CV-5096, see ECF No. 27, is EXTENDED to August 24, 2020. The status letter shall be filed jointly by all parties in both cases and shall address not only whether a conference is necessary and a proposed briefing schedule for any motion for summary judgment, but also the parties views regarding whether the Court should consolidate these cases pursuant to Rule 42 or modify the dates, deadlines, or procedures in either. Unless and until the Court orders otherwise, any other dates and deadlines remain in effect. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Jesse M. Furman on 8/14/20) (yv) (Entered: 08/14/2020)
2020-08-1720SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE) Summons and Complaint,,,,,, served. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention served on 8/13/2020, answer due 9/14/2020. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/17/2020)
2020-08-1721SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE) Summons and Complaint,,,,,, served. Department of Health and Human Services served on 8/13/2020, answer due 9/14/2020. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/17/2020)
2020-08-1722SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE) Summons and Complaint,,,,,, served. Department Of Homeland Security served on 8/13/2020, answer due 9/14/2020. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/17/2020)
2020-08-1723SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE) Summons and Complaint,,,,,, served. Federal Emergency Management Agency served on 8/13/2020, answer due 9/14/2020. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/17/2020)
2020-08-1724SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE) Summons and Complaint,,,,,, served. Food and Drug Administration served on 8/13/2020, answer due 9/14/2020. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/17/2020)
2020-08-1725SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE) Summons and Complaint,,,,,, served. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases served on 8/13/2020, answer due 9/14/2020. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/17/2020)
2020-08-1726SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE) Summons and Complaint,,,,,, served. National Institutes of Health served on 8/13/2020, answer due 9/14/2020. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/17/2020)
2020-08-2127AMENDED COMPLAINT amending 1 Complaint,,,,,, against Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department Of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Food and Drug Administration, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative. Related document: 1 Complaint,,,,,,. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A - NIAID FOIA Request, # 2 Exhibit B - NIH FOIA Request, # 3 Exhibit C - FDA FOIA Request, # 4 Exhibit D - HHS FOIA Request, # 5 Exhibit E - CDC FOIA Request, # 6 Exhibit F - DHS/FEMA FOIA Request, # 7 Exhibit G - NIH FOIA Acknowledgement, # 8 Exhibit H - NIH FOIA Consolidation Request, # 9 Exhibit I - FDA FOIA Acknowledgment, # 10 Exhibit J - FDA FOIA Clarification Request, # 11 Exhibit K - May 5, 2020, Email from FDA to OSJI, # 12 Exhibit L - FDA Granting Expedited Processing, # 13 Exhibit M - HHS FOIA Acknowledgment, # 14 Exhibit N - CDC FOIA Acknowledgment, # 15 Exhibit O - OSJI CDC Appeal, # 16 Exhibit P - CDC Appeal Acknowledgement, # 17 Exhibit Q - DHS/FEMA FOIA Acknowledgment, # 18 Exhibit R - DHS/FEMA FOIA Clarification Request, # 19 Exhibit S - Plaintiff's Response to DHS/FEMA Clarification, # 20 Exhibit T - FEMA FOIA Acknowledgment, # 21 Exhibit U - FEMA Transferring FOIA to DHS, # 22 Exhibit V - DHS FOIA Clarification Request, # 23 Exhibit W - Plaintiff's Response to DHS FOIA Clarification Request, # 24 Exhibit X - DHS Acknowledgment of Plaintiff's Response).(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/21/2020)
2020-08-2128CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE of Amended Complaint on 08/21/2020. Service was made by Electronic Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Klein, Daniel) (Entered: 08/21/2020)
2020-08-2129LETTER addressed to Judge Jesse M. Furman from Mark F. Mendelsohn dated August 21, 2020 re: Joint Response to the Court's August 14, 2020 Order. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Mendelsohn, Mark) (Entered: 08/21/2020)
2020-08-2430CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE of Letter addressed to Judge Jesse M. Furman on August 24, 2020. Service was made by Electronic Mail. Document filed by Open Society Justice Initiative..(Klein, Daniel) (Entered: 08/24/2020)
2020-08-25CONSOLIDATED MEMBER CASE: Create association to 1:20-cv-05096-JMF. (yv) (Entered: 08/25/2020)
2020-08-2531ORDER, It is hereby ORDERED that, pursuant to Rule 42(a)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the two cases are consolidated under the case number 20-CV-5096 (JMF). All future filings should be in 20-CV-5096 (JMF) alone. The parties shall appear for a teleconference with the Court on September 23, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. At least twenty-four hours before the conference, counsel shall email to the Court the names and telephone numbers of those who will have speaking roles at the conference, and the Court will provide call-in information to those counsel. All others counsel who will not have speaking roles and members of the public may listen to the conference by calling the Court's dedicated conference call line at (888) 363-4749 and using access code 542-1540 followed by the pound (#) key. The parties are reminded to follow the procedures for teleconferences described in the Court's Emergency Individual Rules and Practices in Light of COVID-19, which are available at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/hon-jesse-m-furman. No later than the Thursday before the conference, the parties shall file a joint status letter setting forth their views of the case and how it should proceed, including, if appropriate, a proposed briefing schedule. The Clerk of Court is directed to consolidate 20-CV-5096 (JMF) and 20-CV-6359 (JMF) under case number 20-CV-5096 (JMF), and to close 20-CV-6359. SO ORDERED. ( Telephone Conference set for 9/23/2020 at 10:00 AM before Judge Jesse M. Furman.) (Signed by Judge Jesse M. Furman on 8/25/20) Filed In Associated Cases: 1:20-cv-05096-JMF, 1:20-cv-06359-JMF (yv) (Entered: 08/25/2020)
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