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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv02883
Date Filed2022-09-22
Date Closed2024-08-13
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning discussions of the search warrant for Mar-a-Lago. Judicial Watch also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The FBI granted expedited processing. Judicial Watch submitted a second FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning discussions with the Secret Service concerning the search warrant. The agency acknowledged receipt of that request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2022-09-221COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9543712) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons US Attorney for the District of Columbia, # 3 Summons US Attorney General, # 4 Summons US Department of Justice)(Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 09/22/2022)
2022-09-222LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 09/22/2022)
2022-09-23NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to rcotca@judicialwatch.org, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Form filed as fillable PDF. Please file form in a non-fillable PDF format., 2. Coversheet requires signature, 3. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (zcb, ) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-09-233NOTICE of Appearance by Paul J. Orfanedes on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-09-234CIVIL COVER SHEET by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. re Notice of QC- New Case, 1 Complaint, filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. Related document: Notice of QC- New Case, 1 Complaint, filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC..(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-09-23Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zcb, ) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-09-235SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zcb, ) (Entered: 09/23/2022)
2022-11-036NOTICE of Appearance by Andrew James Rising on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 11/03/2022)
2022-11-037ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 11/03/2022)
2022-11-08MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint 1 and an answer 7 . The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues no later than December 18, 2022. The joint status report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 11/8/2022. (lcsr) (Entered: 11/08/2022)
2022-11-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/18/2022. (tb) (Entered: 11/08/2022)
2022-12-198Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 12/19/2022)
2022-12-28MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of 8 Joint Status Report, the Court hereby orders the parties to submit another joint status report by February 8, 2023, updating the Court on the status of the case. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 12/28/2022. (lcsr) Modified to add event title on 1/9/2023 (znmw). (Entered: 12/28/2022)
2023-01-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/8/2023. (tb) (Entered: 01/03/2023)
2023-01-049RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 10/4/2022. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 11/3/2022.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 10/11/2022., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 10/11/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 01/04/2023)
2023-02-0810Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 02/08/2023)
2023-03-2911Unopposed MOTION to Amend/Correct 7 Answer to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Proposed Amended Answer)(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 03/29/2023)
2023-04-1412Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 04/14/2023)
2023-04-18MINUTE ORDER: Granting 11 Unopposed Motion to Amend/Correct 7 Answer. By May 19, 2023, Defendant shall file their amended answer and the parties shall file another joint status report updating the court on the status of the case. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 4/18/23. (lcsr) (Entered: 04/18/2023)
2023-04-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Amended Pleading due by 5/19/2023. (tb) (Entered: 04/20/2023)
2023-05-1813ANSWER to Complaint (Amended) by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 05/18/2023)
2023-05-1814Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 05/18/2023)
2023-05-22MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 14 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file another joint status report updating the court on the status of the case by July 18, 2023. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 5/22/23. (lcsr) (Entered: 05/22/2023)
2023-05-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/18/2023. (tb) (Entered: 05/23/2023)
2023-07-1815Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 07/18/2023)
2023-07-19MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 15 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file another joint status report updating the court on the status of the case by September 18, 2023. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/19/23. (lcsr) (Entered: 07/19/2023)
2023-09-1816Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 09/18/2023)
2023-09-19MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 16 Joint Status Report, the parties shall file another joint status report updating the court on the status of the case by November 17, 2023. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 9/19/23. (lca) (Entered: 09/19/2023)
2023-09-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/17/2023. (zed) (Entered: 09/20/2023)
2023-11-0117Unopposed MOTION to Bifurcate by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 11/01/2023)
2023-11-02MINUTE ORDER: GRANTING defendant's 17 Unopposed Motion to Bifurcate, permitting it to move for summary judgment based on the applicability of Exemption 7(A) to certain records without waiving any argument that the records at issue are exempt from release for other reasons. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 11/2/2023. (lca) (Entered: 11/02/2023)
2023-11-1718Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 11/17/2023)
2023-11-20MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the 18 Joint Status Report, the parties are hereby ORDERED to file a joint status report on or before January 17, 2024, and every 60 days thereafter, to inform the Court of the status of Plaintiff's FOIA requests. To the extent the parties propose a change in the status quo, the report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 11/20/2023. (lca) (Entered: 11/20/2023)
2023-11-20Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/17/2024. (znbn) (Entered: 11/21/2023)
2024-01-1719Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 01/17/2024)
2024-03-1820Joint STATUS REPORT AND PROPOSED BRIEFING SCHEDULE by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 03/18/2024)
2024-03-19MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 20 Joint Status Report, the court sets the following deadlines. Defendant's motion for summary judgment is due June 21, 2024. Plaintiff's combined opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment is due August 7, 2024. Defendant's reply in support of its motion for summary judgment and opposition to Plaintiff's motion is due September 20, 2024. Plaintiff's reply in support of its cross-motion is due November 5, 2024. Pursuant to the Minute Order dated November 2, 2023, Defendant's motion shall address only the application of Exemption 7(A) to FBI's withholding of investigative file materials. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 3/19/2024. (lca) (Entered: 03/19/2024)
2024-03-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Summary Judgment motions due by 6/21/2024. Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 8/7/2024. Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 9/20/2024. Replies due by 11/5/2024. (lsj) (Entered: 03/19/2024)
2024-06-1721Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to file Motion for Summary Judgment by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 06/17/2024)
2024-06-18MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of Defendant's 21 Unopposed Motion for Extension, the court resets the following deadlines. Defendant's motion for summary judgment is due July 19, 2024. Plaintiff's combined opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment is due September 4, 2024. Defendant's reply in support of its motion for summary judgment and opposition to Plaintiff's motion is due October 18, 2024. Plaintiff's reply in support of its cross-motion is due December 6, 2024. Pursuant to the Minute Order dated November 2, 2023, Defendant's motion shall address only the application of Exemption 7(A) to FBI's withholding of investigative file materials. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 6/18/2024. (lca) (Entered: 06/18/2024)
2024-07-1922MOTION for Summary Judgment by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Declaration of Michael G. Seidel, # 3 Exhibit to Declaration, # 4 Statement of Facts, # 5 Text of Proposed Order)(Rising, Andrew) (Entered: 07/19/2024)
2024-08-1323STIPULATION of Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 08/13/2024)
2024-08-13MINUTE ORDER DISMISSING CASE: In light of the parties' 23 Stipulated Voluntary Dismissal, this action is dismissed with prejudice pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). The Clerk of the Court shall close this case. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 8/13/2024. (lca) (Entered: 08/13/2024)
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