Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleHALLETT v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv00617
Date Filed2023-03-07
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amir H. Ali
PlaintiffJOANNA C. HALLETT
Case DescriptionJoanna Hallett submitted a FOIA request to the Department of the Army for records concerning her domestic abuse complaint filed against her ex-husband. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Hallett filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
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

2023-03-071COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ARMY ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9907377) filed by JOANNA C HALLETT. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Thompson, Carol) (Entered: 03/07/2023)
2023-03-07Case Assigned to Judge Ana C. Reyes. (zljn) (Entered: 03/07/2023)
2023-03-072SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zljn) (Entered: 03/07/2023)
2023-03-203AMENDED COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY filed by JOANNA C. HALLETT. (Attachments: # 1 Redlined Amended Complaint, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Thompson, Carol) (Entered: 03/20/2023)
2023-03-214SUMMONS Reissued (3) Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Attorney General. (znmw) (Entered: 03/21/2023)
2023-03-285STANDING ORDER: The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the directives set forth in the attached Standing Order. See document for details. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 3/28/2023. (lcas) (Entered: 03/28/2023)
2023-04-176NOTICE of Appearance by John Haberland on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (Haberland, John) (Entered: 04/17/2023)
2023-04-177Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Haberland, John) (Entered: 04/17/2023)
2023-05-04MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of Defendants' consent motion for an extension of time to file their initial response to the complaint 7 , it is hereby ORDERED that the motion is granted. For the foregoing reasons, the deadline for Defendants to respond to the complaint is extended up to, and including, June 23, 2023. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 5/4/2023. (lcas) (Entered: 05/04/2023)
2023-05-09Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Answer to complaint due by 6/23/2023. (zcdw) (Entered: 05/09/2023)
2023-06-128NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Patrick Doyle on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Substituting for attorney John Haberland (Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 06/12/2023)
2023-06-159Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 06/15/2023)
2023-06-15ENTERED IN ERROR.......MINUTE ORDER: The parties are DIRECTED to contact Judge Reyes' Courtroom Deputy, Chashawn White (chashawn_white@dcd.uscourts.gov), to schedule a hearing on the Motion for Leave to File Cross-Claim 86 . Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 6/15/23. (lcas) Modified on 6/15/2023 (zcdw). (Entered: 06/15/2023)
2023-06-16MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of Defendant's 9 consent motion for an extension of time to file their initial response to the complaint, and for good cause shown, the motion is granted. For the foregoing reasons, the deadline for Defendant to respond to the complaint is extended up to, and including, July 21, 2023. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 6/16/2023. (lcas) (Entered: 06/16/2023)
2023-06-16Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Answer to complaint due by 7/21/2023. (zcdw) (Entered: 06/16/2023)
2023-07-2110ANSWER to 3 Amended Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY.(Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 07/21/2023)
2023-07-21MINUTE ORDER. Plaintiff filed this Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") action on March 7, 2023. Dkt 1. Plaintiff then filed an Amended Complaint on March 20, 2023. Dkt. 3. Defendant filed its Answer on July 21, 2023. Dkt. 10. Cases filed under FOIA are exempt from the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f) and Local Civil Rule 16.3. See LCvR 16.3(b)(10). Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before August 4, 2023. The Joint Status Report should address, among other things: (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. Counsel shall not contact Chambers directly concerning scheduling or other matters, as Chambers personnel will not handle questions relating to the status or scheduling of pending matters, except in case of an emergency. In an emergency, Chambers can be reached at (202) 354-3350. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 7/21/23. (lcas) (Entered: 07/21/2023)
2023-07-25Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 8/4/2023. (zcdw) (Entered: 07/25/2023)
2023-08-0411Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 08/04/2023)
2023-09-1812Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 09/18/2023)
2023-11-1713Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 11/17/2023)
2024-01-1714Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 01/17/2024)
2024-02-1615Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 02/16/2024)
2024-03-1816NOTICE Requesting Pre-Motion Conference by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (Doyle, Patrick) (Entered: 03/18/2024)
2024-04-04MINUTE ORDER. Defendant filed a 16 Request for Pre-Motion Conference on March 18, 2024. Under the Court's 5 Standing Order, Plaintiff's response was due on March 25, 2024. To date, Plaintiff has not filed any response. It is hereby ORDERED that Plaintiff shall respond to Defendant's filing on or before April 9, 2024. It is further ORDERED that the parties shall contact Judge Reyes's Courtroom Deputy, Chashawn White (chashawn_white@dcd.uscourts.gov), to schedule a pre-motion conference. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 4/4/2024. (lcar3) (Entered: 04/04/2024)
2024-04-04Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Response to 16 due by 4/9/2024. (zcdw) (Entered: 04/04/2024)
2024-04-0917RESPONSE re 16 Notice (Other) for Pre-Motion Conference filed by JOANNA C. HALLETT. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Vaughn Index)(Thompson, Carol) (Entered: 04/09/2024)
2024-04-12NOTICE of Hearing: Pre-motion Conference set for 5/22/2024 at 11:00 AM in Courtroom 12 before Judge Ana C. Reyes. (zcdw) (Entered: 04/12/2024)
2024-05-2018NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Alane Ballweg on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Substituting for attorney Patrick Doyle (Ballweg, Alane) (Entered: 05/20/2024)
2024-05-22Minute Entry for Pre-motion Conference held on 5/22/2024 before Judge Ana C. Reyes. Court Reporter Christine Asif. (zjch, ) (Entered: 05/22/2024)
2024-05-22MINUTE ORDER. As discussed on the record at today's Pre-Motion Conference, the Court ORDERS that Defendant shall conduct an additional segregability review and provide any newly unredacted records and a revised Vaughn index to Plaintiff on or before July 22, 2024. The Court further ORDERS that, after Defendant provides these materials, the parties shall meet and confer and seek to narrow or resolve any remaining issues in this case. And the Court further ORDERS that the parties shall submit a joint status report within 45 days of the date on which Defendant provides the revised Vaughn index. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 5/22/2024. (lcar3) (Entered: 05/22/2024)
2024-09-0519Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Ballweg, Alane) (Entered: 09/05/2024)
2024-09-05MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, the Court directs the parties to submit another joint status report on or before November 4, 2024. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 09/05/2024. (lcacr3) (Entered: 09/05/2024)
2024-11-0420Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Ballweg, Alane) (Entered: 11/04/2024)
2024-11-27Case directly reassigned to Judge Amir H. Ali. Judge Ana C. Reyes is no longer assigned to the case. (ztnr) (Entered: 11/27/2024)
2024-12-0421Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Ballweg, Alane) (Entered: 12/04/2024)
2024-12-09MINUTE ORDER. The Court is in receipt of the parties' December 4, 2024, joint status report. The parties have jointly represented that all merits disputes are resolved. They have jointly requested more time to confer regarding attorneys' fees and costs in an attempt to resolve the issue without the need for the Court's intervention. The Court directs the parties to submit another joint status report on or before February 4, 2025. Signed by Judge Amir H. Ali on 12/9/24. (lcaha2) (Entered: 12/09/2024)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar