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Case TitleTRACE MEDIA, INC. et al v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv02221
Date Filed2022-07-27
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Trevor N. McFadden
PlaintiffTRACE MEDIA, INC.
PlaintiffWILL VAN SANT
Case DescriptionWill Van Sant, a reporter for Trace Media, submitted four FOIA requests to the Dept of Justice for a variety of records, focusing on communications and calendar entries of various employees. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Trace Media filed suit. Van Sant also submitted four FOIA requests to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for records concerning similar topics as to his DOJ requests. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Van Sant filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DefendantBUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES
Documents
Docket
Complaint
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User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2022-07-271COMPLAINT against BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9400817) filed by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Exhibit H, # 9 Exhibit I, # 10 Exhibit J, # 11 Exhibit K, # 12 Exhibit L, # 13 Exhibit M, # 14 Exhibit N, # 15 Exhibit O, # 16 Exhibit P, # 17 Exhibit Q, # 18 Exhibit R, # 19 Exhibit S, # 20 Exhibit T, # 21 Civil Cover Sheet, # 22 Summons)(Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 07/27/2022)
2022-07-272LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT (Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 07/27/2022)
2022-07-28Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (znmg) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-07-283SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmg) (Entered: 07/28/2022)
2022-08-124RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 8/9/2022. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 9/8/2022.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES served on 8/9/2022; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 8/9/2022, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 8/9/22. (Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 08/12/2022)
2022-08-125NOTICE of Appearance by Gunita Singh on behalf of TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT (Singh, Gunita) (Entered: 08/12/2022)
2022-08-226STANDING ORDER Establishing Procedures for Cases Before Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The parties are hereby ORDERED to read and comply with the directives in the attached standing order. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 8/22/2022. (lctnm1) (Entered: 08/22/2022)
2022-08-297NOTICE of Appearance by Douglas C. Dreier on behalf of All Defendants (Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 08/29/2022)
2022-08-298Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response to the Complaint by BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Dreier, Douglas) (Entered: 08/29/2022)
2022-08-299NOTICE of Appearance by Adam Alexander Marshall on behalf of TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 08/29/2022)
2022-08-31MINUTE ORDER granting the 8 Motion for Extension of Time. The Defendants' responsive pleading is now due on or before September 22, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 8/31/2022. (lctnm1) (Entered: 08/31/2022)
2022-08-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant's answer due by 9/22/2022. (hmc) (Entered: 08/31/2022)
2022-09-0610NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Erika Kirstie Oblea on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Douglas Dreier (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 09/06/2022)
2022-09-2211ANSWER to Complaint by BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 09/22/2022)
2022-09-23MINUTE ORDER. Before the Court are a complaint and an answer in this FOIA case. The parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report proposing a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule should address, among other things, the status of Plaintiffs' FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiffs' FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiffs, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, and a briefing schedule for dispositive motions, if required. The parties shall file the schedule on or before October 25, 2022. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 9/23/2022. (lctnm1) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-09-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/25/2022. (hmc) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-10-2512Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 10/25/2022)
2022-10-26MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall file another Joint Status Report by December 23, 2022, apprising the court on the status of the Government's productions, proposing a briefing schedule, and indicating whether the Government plans to file a Vaughn index. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 10/26/2022. (lctnm1) (Entered: 10/26/2022)
2022-10-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/23/2022. (hmc) (Entered: 10/26/2022)
2022-12-0613NOTICE of Appearance by Shawn Musgrave on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Musgrave, Shawn) (Entered: 12/06/2022)
2022-12-0914NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Lshauntee J. Robertson on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Erika Oblea (Robertson, Lshauntee) (Entered: 12/09/2022)
2022-12-2315Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 12/23/2022)
2022-12-23MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by February 23, 2023. If the parties are not yet able to recommend a briefing schedule or indicate whether the Government plans to file a Vaughn index, they must explain when they expect to be ready to do so. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 12/23/2022. (lctnm1) (Entered: 12/23/2022)
2022-12-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/23/2023. (hmc) (Entered: 12/23/2022)
2023-02-2316Joint STATUS REPORT by BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Robertson, L'Shauntee) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-23MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by April 24, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 2/23/2023. (lctnm1) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/24/2023. (hmc) (Entered: 02/24/2023)
2023-04-2417Joint STATUS REPORT by BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Robertson, L'Shauntee) (Entered: 04/24/2023)
2023-04-24MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall file another Joint Status Report by June 23, 2023, which should include a proposed briefing schedule and an indication of whether a Vaughn index will be necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 4/24/2023. (lctnm1) (Entered: 04/24/2023)
2023-04-25Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/23/2023. (hmc) (Entered: 04/25/2023)
2023-06-2318Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 06/23/2023)
2023-06-23MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by August 23, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 6/23/2023. (lctnm1) (Entered: 06/23/2023)
2023-06-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/23/2023. (hmc) (Entered: 06/26/2023)
2023-08-2319Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 08/23/2023)
2023-08-23MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by October 23, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 8/23/2023. (lctnm1) (Entered: 08/23/2023)
2023-08-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/23/2023. (hmc) (Entered: 08/24/2023)
2023-10-2320Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 10/23/2023)
2023-10-23MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by December 22, 2023. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 10/23/2023. (lctnm1) (Entered: 10/23/2023)
2023-12-2221Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 12/22/2023)
2023-12-22MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by February 20, 2024. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 12/22/2023. (lctnm1) (Entered: 12/22/2023)
2024-01-1022NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. Attorney Shawn Musgrave terminated. (Musgrave, Shawn) (Entered: 01/10/2024)
2024-02-2023Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 02/20/2024)
2024-02-21MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by April 22, 2024, and every 60 days after that date until the Court directs otherwise. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 02/21/2024. (lctnm1) (Entered: 02/21/2024)
2024-04-2224Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 04/22/2024)
2024-06-2425Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 06/24/2024)
2024-08-2326Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 08/23/2024)
2024-10-2327Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Marshall, Adam) (Entered: 10/23/2024)
2024-12-1928NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. Attorney KatieLynn Boyd Townsend terminated. (Townsend, KatieLynn) (Entered: 12/19/2024)
2024-12-2029Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Singh, Gunita) (Entered: 12/20/2024)
2025-02-1830Joint STATUS REPORT by TRACE MEDIA, INC., WILL VAN SANT. (Singh, Gunita) (Entered: 02/18/2025)
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