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Case TitleFREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE v. UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv00838
Date Filed2021-03-29
Date Closed2022-05-16
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffFREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE
Case DescriptionFree Speech for People submitted four FOIA requests to U.S. Election Assistance Commission for records concerning non-public meetings and communications between the agency and private voting machine vendors. FSP also requested expedited processing and a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency, FSP filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Expedited processing, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2021-03-291COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8334135) filed by FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons)(Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 03/29/2021)
2021-03-29Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zsb) (Entered: 03/29/2021)
2021-03-292SUMMONS (1) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ) (Entered: 03/29/2021)
2021-03-313MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Ben Clements, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-8341508. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-03-314MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Gillian Cassell-Stiga, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-8341657. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-03-315MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- John C. Bonifaz, Filing fee $ 100, receipt number ADCDC-8341678. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-03-31MINUTE ORDER granting 3 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Attorney Ben Clements is hereby admitted pro hac vice to appear in this matter. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a). Click for instructions. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/31/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-03-31MINUTE ORDER granting 4 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Attorney Gillian Cassell-Stiga is hereby admitted pro hac vice to appear in this matter. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a). Click for instructions. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/31/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-03-31MINUTE ORDER granting 5 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Attorney John C. Bonifaz is hereby admitted pro hac vice to appear in this matter. Counsel should register for e-filing via PACER and file a notice of appearance pursuant to LCvR 83.6(a). Click for instructions. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/31/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/31/2021)
2021-04-096NOTICE of Appearance by Gillian Robin Cassell-Stiga on behalf of FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE (Cassell-Stiga, Gillian) (Entered: 04/09/2021)
2021-04-127RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 3/30/2021. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 4/29/2021. (Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 04/12/2021)
2021-04-128RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION served on 4/1/2021 (Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 04/12/2021)
2021-04-129RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 4/6/2021. (Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 04/12/2021)
2021-04-1210NOTICE of Appearance by John C. Bonifaz on behalf of FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE (Bonifaz, John) (Entered: 04/12/2021)
2021-04-2811NOTICE of Appearance by Ben Clements on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Clements, Ben) (Entered: 04/28/2021)
2021-05-0312ANSWER to Complaint by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION.(Feldon, Gary) (Entered: 05/03/2021)
2021-05-0313ORDER. Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before May 17, 2021. The Joint Status Report shall include (1) the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request; (2) the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request; (3) the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff; (4) whether a motion for a stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force, 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); and (5) whether the parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule. See the attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/3/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 05/03/2021)
2021-05-0414NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew R. Nicely on behalf of FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE (Nicely, Matthew) (Entered: 05/04/2021)
2021-05-1715Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Feldon, Gary) (Entered: 05/17/2021)
2021-05-17MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by July 16, 2021, updating the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/17/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 05/17/2021)
2021-07-1316Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Feldon, Gary) (Entered: 07/13/2021)
2021-07-15MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by September 14, 2021, updating the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 7/15/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 07/15/2021)
2021-09-1317Joint STATUS REPORT by FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE. (Wolverton, Caroline) (Entered: 09/13/2021)
2021-09-14MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by October 14, 2021, updating the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 9/14/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 09/14/2021)
2021-10-1418Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Feldon, Gary) (Entered: 10/14/2021)
2021-10-15MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by November 19, 2021, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/15/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 10/15/2021)
2021-11-1919NOTICE of Appearance by Amber Richer on behalf of UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 11/19/2021)
2021-11-1920Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 11/19/2021)
2021-11-20MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by December 17, 2021, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 11/20/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 11/20/2021)
2021-12-1721Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 12/17/2021)
2021-12-20MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 28, 2022, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/20/2021. (lcapm1) (Entered: 12/20/2021)
2021-12-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 1/28/2022 (zjch, ) (Entered: 12/20/2021)
2022-01-2822Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 01/28/2022)
2022-01-28MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by February 28, 2022, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 1/28/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 01/28/2022)
2022-02-2823Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 02/28/2022)
2022-02-28MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by March 18, 2022, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/28/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 02/28/2022)
2022-03-1824Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 03/18/2022)
2022-03-19MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by April 8, 2022, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/19/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/19/2022)
2022-04-0825Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 04/08/2022)
2022-04-08MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by April 29, 2022, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 4/8/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 04/08/2022)
2022-04-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 4/29/2022 (zjch, ) (Entered: 04/11/2022)
2022-04-2926Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 04/29/2022)
2022-05-01MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by May 13, 2022, updating the court on whether any outstanding disputes remain and proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule, if necessary. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/1/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 05/01/2022)
2022-05-1327STIPULATION of Dismissal Joint Stipulation of Dismissal by UNITED STATES ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION. (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 05/13/2022)
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