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Case TitleCITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv02574
Date Filed2021-10-04
Date Closed2022-08-26
JudgeJudge Carl J. Nichols
PlaintiffCITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON
Case DescriptionCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for records concerning communications and calendar entries between former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and the three agencies. CREW also requested a fee waiver. All three agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests. DOJ told CREW its request qualified for unusual circumstances. Both DHS and ONDI granted CREW's request for a fee waiver. CREW also submitted a FOIA request to the Environmental and Natural Resources Division at DOJ for the same records. CREW also asked for a fee waiver. ENRD acknowledged receipt of the request, granted CREW's request for a fee waiver, and invoked unusual circumstances. After hearing nothing further from any of the agencies, CREW filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
DefendantOFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2021-10-041COMPLAINT against DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8778259) filed by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons Attorney General, # 3 Summons DHS, # 4 Summons ODNI, # 5 Summons US Attorney, # 6 Summons DOJ)(Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 10/04/2021)
2021-10-042LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 10/04/2021)
2021-10-06Case Assigned to Judge Carl J. Nichols. (znmg) (Entered: 10/06/2021)
2021-10-063SUMMONS (5) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmg) (Entered: 10/06/2021)
2021-10-064STANDING ORDER. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on October 6, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 10/06/2021)
2021-10-265RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 10/18/2021. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 11/17/2021.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE served on 10/26/2021; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY served on 10/15/2021; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 10/18/2021, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 10/18/21. (Sus, Nikhel) (Entered: 10/26/2021)
2021-11-176NOTICE of Appearance by Amber Richer on behalf of All Defendants (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 11/17/2021)
2021-11-177ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 11/17/2021)
2021-11-18MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court in this Freedom of Information Act case are a Complaint and an Answer. According to Local Civil Rule 16.3, the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f) are inapplicable. It is hereby ORDERED that the Parties shall confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before December 17, 2021. The Joint Status Report shall address: (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 stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force , 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); (5) the possibility of prioritizing documents responsive to Plaintiff's request[s] and any discussions regarding whether Plaintiff's request[s] can be narrowed; and (6) whether the Parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule.Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on November 18, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 11/18/2021)
2021-11-18Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/17/2021. (zcal) (Entered: 11/18/2021)
2021-12-178Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 12/17/2021)
2021-12-22MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 8 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before February 4, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on December 22, 2021. (lccjn2) (Entered: 12/22/2021)
2021-12-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/4/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 12/22/2021)
2022-02-049Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 02/04/2022)
2022-02-08MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 9 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before March 18, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on February 8, 2022. (lccjn2) (Entered: 02/08/2022)
2022-02-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/18/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 02/08/2022)
2022-03-1810Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 03/18/2022)
2022-03-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 10 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before April 22, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on March 28, 2022. (lccjn2) (Entered: 03/28/2022)
2022-03-28Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/22/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 03/28/2022)
2022-04-2211Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 04/22/2022)
2022-04-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 11 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated status report on or before June 3, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on April 28, 2022. (lccjn2) (Entered: 04/28/2022)
2022-04-28Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/3/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 04/28/2022)
2022-06-0312Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 06/03/2022)
2022-06-06MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 12 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before June 30, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on June 6, 2022. (lccjn2) (Entered: 06/06/2022)
2022-06-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/30/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 06/07/2022)
2022-06-3013Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 06/30/2022)
2022-07-01MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 13 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before July 29, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on July 1, 2022. (lccjn2) (Entered: 07/01/2022)
2022-07-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/29/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 07/05/2022)
2022-07-2014NOTICE of Appearance by Laura Adanma Iheanachor on behalf of CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY AND ETHICS IN WASHINGTON (Iheanachor, Laura) (Entered: 07/20/2022)
2022-07-2915Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Richer, Amber) (Entered: 07/29/2022)
2022-08-01MINUTE ORDER. Upon review of the 15 Joint Status Report, it is ORDERED that the Parties shall file an updated Joint Status Report on or before August 24, 2022. Signed by Judge Carl J. Nichols on August 1, 2022. (lccjn2) (Entered: 08/01/2022)
2022-08-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/24/2022. (zcal) (Entered: 08/02/2022)
2022-08-2316STIPULATION of Dismissal Joint Stipulation of Dismissal by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Richer, Amber) (Entered: 08/23/2022)
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