Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv00113
Date Filed2023-01-13
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning efforts by Alexandria Phillips, Communications Director, Office of the Surgeon General, to contact employees of social media companies concerning COVID-19 vaccines. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told Judicial Watch it was processing the request. 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 HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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

2023-01-131COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9788186) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, # 3 Summons U.S. Attorney General, # 4 Summons U.S. Attorney)(Aldrich, Jason) (Entered: 01/13/2023)
2023-01-132LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Aldrich, Jason) (Entered: 01/13/2023)
2023-01-17NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 Complaint; emailed to jaldrich@judicialwatch.org, cc'd 1 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Attorney is provisional. Please renew your membership. See https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/attorney-renewal., 2. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (Williams, Ro'Shaila) (Entered: 01/17/2023)
2023-01-18RESOLVED...NOTICE of Provisional/Government Not Certified Status re 2 LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Aldrich, Jason). Your attorney renewal has not been received. As a result, your membership with the U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia is not in good standing, and you are not permitted to file. Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 83.9, you must immediately correct your membership status by following the appropriate instructions on this page of our website: https://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/attorney-renewal. Please be advised that the presiding judge in this case has been notified that you are currently not in good standing to file in this court. Renewal Due by 1/25/2023. (zbaj) Modified on 1/19/2023 (zbaj). (Entered: 01/18/2023)
2023-01-19Case Assigned to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. (zrtw) (Entered: 01/19/2023)
2023-01-193SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zrtw) (Entered: 01/19/2023)
2023-01-194ORDER ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR CASES ASSIGNED TO JUDGE COLLEEN KOLLAR-KOTELLY. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 1/19/23. (DM) (Entered: 01/19/2023)
2023-02-035RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/24/2023. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/23/2023.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 1/30/2023., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 1/30/2023 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration Brooke Paz)(Aldrich, Jason) (Entered: 02/03/2023)
2023-02-236ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Escher, Sam) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-237ORDER directing parties to meet and confer and file Joint Status Report by no later than APRIL 6, 2023. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 2/23/23. (lcckk3) (zdot). (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-02-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Meet & Confer Statement due by 4/6/2023. (dot) (Entered: 02/23/2023)
2023-04-068Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 04/06/2023)
2023-04-10MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the 8 Joint Status Report, in which the parties indicate that there was a discrepancy between Plaintiff's FOIA request and what they stated in their Complaint. Plaintiff plans to amend their Complaint and Defendant does not oppose that. Per the parties' suggestion, the Court ORDERS Plaintiff to file an Amended Complaint by no later than APRIL 12, 2023. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 4/10/23. (lcckk3) (Entered: 04/10/2023)
2023-04-10Set/Reset Deadlines: Plaintiff to file an Amended Complaint by no later than 4/12/2023. (dot) (Entered: 04/10/2023)
2023-04-129AMENDED COMPLAINT Amended Complaint against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC..(Aldrich, Jason) (Entered: 04/12/2023)
2023-04-2610ANSWER to 9 Amended Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Escher, Sam) (Entered: 04/26/2023)
2023-04-2711ORDER directing parties to meet and confer and file Joint Status Report by no later than JUNE 7, 2023.. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 4/27/23. (lcckk3) (Entered: 04/27/2023)
2023-04-27Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/7/2023. (zgf) (Entered: 04/27/2023)
2023-05-2612Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 05/26/2023)
2023-05-30MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the 12 Joint Status Report, in which Defendant provides an update on their search responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request. The Court ORDERS the parties to file another Joint Status Report by no later than JUNE 29, 2023 and every thirty (30) days thereafter providing an update on the status of this case. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on 5/30/23. (lcbs) (Entered: 05/30/2023)
2023-06-02Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/29/2023. (hmc) (Entered: 06/02/2023)
2023-06-2913Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 06/29/2023)
2023-07-2714Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 07/27/2023)
2023-08-3115Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 08/31/2023)
2023-10-0316Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 10/03/2023)
2023-11-0217STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 11/02/2023)
2023-12-0518STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 12/05/2023)
2024-01-0419Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 01/04/2024)
2024-02-0620Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 02/06/2024)
2024-03-0721Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 03/07/2024)
2024-04-0822Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 04/08/2024)
2024-05-0723Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 05/07/2024)
2024-06-1024Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 06/10/2024)
2024-07-1125STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 07/11/2024)
2024-08-0826Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 08/08/2024)
2024-09-0927Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Escher, Sam) (Entered: 09/09/2024)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar