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Case TitleKnight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University v. United States Department of State
DistrictSouthern District of New York
CityFoley Square
Case Number1:2023cv02513
Date Filed2023-03-24
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Alvin K. Hellerstein
PlaintiffKnight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University
Case DescriptionThe Knight First Amendment Institute submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the development or modification of the online platform's jurisdiction -specific content moderation policies. KFAI also request expedited processing and a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency denied KFAI's request for expedited processing and postponed a decision on its fee waiver request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, KFAI filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUnited States Department of State
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2023-03-241COMPLAINT against United States Department of State. (Filing Fee $ 402.00, Receipt Number ANYSDC-27515477)Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E).(Abdo, Alexander) (Entered: 03/24/2023)
2023-03-242RULE 7.1 CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. No Corporate Parent. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Abdo, Alexander) (Entered: 03/24/2023)
2023-03-243CIVIL COVER SHEET filed..(Abdo, Alexander) (Entered: 03/24/2023)
2023-03-244FILING ERROR - DEFICIENT PLEADING - SUMMONS REQUEST As To - REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to U.S. Department of State, re: 1 Complaint,. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Abdo, Alexander) Modified on 3/27/2023 (gp). (Entered: 03/24/2023)
2023-03-27***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING DEFICIENT REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS. Notice to Attorney Alexander Abraham Abdo to RE-FILE Document No. 4 Request for Issuance of Summons. The filing is deficient for the following reason(s): party name on the TO section of the PDF does not match the entire name of the party on the pleading/docket.. Re-file the document using the event type Request for Issuance of Summons found under the event list Service of Process - select the correct filer/filers - and attach the correct summons form PDF. (gp) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-03-27CASE OPENING INITIAL ASSIGNMENT NOTICE: The above-entitled action is assigned to Judge Paul A. Crotty. Please download and review the Individual Practices of the assigned District Judge, located at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/judges/district-judges . Attorneys are responsible for providing courtesy copies to judges where their Individual Practices require such. Please download and review the ECF Rules and Instructions, located at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/rules/ecf-related-instructions . .(gp) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-03-27Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein is so designated. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73(b)(1) parties are notified that they may consent to proceed before a United States Magistrate Judge. Parties who wish to consent may access the necessary form at the following link: https://nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/AO-3.pdf . (gp) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-03-27Case Designated ECF. (gp) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-03-275REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to United States Department of State, re: 1 Complaint,. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Abdo, Alexander) (Entered: 03/27/2023)
2023-03-286ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to United States Department of State..(jgo) (Entered: 03/28/2023)
2023-04-047SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE). United States Department of State served on 4/4/2023, answer due 5/4/2023. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Abdo, Alexander) (Entered: 04/04/2023)
2023-04-048SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE). All Defendants. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Abdo, Alexander) (Entered: 04/04/2023)
2023-04-049SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED (FOIA CASE). All Defendants. Service was made by Mail. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Abdo, Alexander) (Entered: 04/04/2023)
2023-05-0310NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by Jennifer Jones on behalf of Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Jones, Jennifer) (Entered: 05/03/2023)
2023-05-0311ANSWER to 1 Complaint,. Document filed by United States Department of State..(Tarczynska, Dominika) (Entered: 05/03/2023)
2023-05-0512ORDER FOR INITIAL PRETRIAL CONFERENCE: Initial Conference set for 5/17/2023 at 12:30 PM in Courtroom 14C, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Paul A. Crotty. (Signed by Judge Paul A. Crotty on 5/5/2023) (dgo) (Entered: 05/05/2023)
2023-05-1513JOINT LETTER addressed to Judge Paul A. Crotty from Jennifer Jones dated 05/15/2023 re: Initial Conference Letter. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Jones, Jennifer) (Entered: 05/15/2023)
2023-05-17Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Paul A. Crotty: Initial Pretrial Conference held on 5/17/2023. REMARK: Counsel for both sides appeared. The parties provide a case summary and update, and the Court directed the parties to meet and confer on a agreed upon proposed processing schedule for the Court's consideration. The schedule is due by May 26, 2023. In the proposed schedule, the parties are also to advise the Court whether or not another conference is needed. See transcript for details. (Court Reporter Kelly Surrina) (dgo) (Entered: 05/17/2023)
2023-05-2614JOINT LETTER addressed to Judge Paul A. Crotty from Dominika Tarczynska dated May 26, 2023 re: Proposed Schedule. Document filed by United States Department of State..(Tarczynska, Dominika) (Entered: 05/26/2023)
2023-05-3115MEMO ENDORSEMENT on re: 14 Letter filed by United States Department of State. ENDORSEMENT: SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Paul A. Crotty on 5/31/2023) (ate) (Entered: 05/31/2023)
2023-07-2816STATUS REPORT. Document filed by United States Department of State..(Tarczynska, Dominika) (Entered: 07/28/2023)
2023-09-2817STATUS REPORT. Document filed by United States Department of State..(Tarczynska, Dominika) (Entered: 09/28/2023)
2023-12-1518STATUS REPORT. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Jones, Jennifer) (Entered: 12/15/2023)
2023-12-1819MEMO ENDORSEMENT on re: 18 Status Report filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University ENDORSEMENT: SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Paul A. Crotty on 12/18/2023) (ks) (Entered: 12/18/2023)
2024-02-0220STATUS REPORT. Document filed by United States Department of State..(Tarczynska, Dominika) (Entered: 02/02/2024)
2024-03-2921STATUS REPORT. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Jones, Jennifer) (Entered: 03/29/2024)
2024-04-0422MEMO ENDORSEMENT on re: 21 Status Report filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University ENDORSEMENT: SO ORDERED (Signed by Judge Paul A. Crotty on 4/4/2024) (ks) (Entered: 04/04/2024)
2024-04-15NOTICE OF CASE REASSIGNMENT to Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. Judge Paul A. Crotty is no longer assigned to the case. (nb) (Entered: 04/15/2024)
2024-05-0323SCHEDULING ORDER: The parties are hereby ordered to appear for a status conference on June 14, 2024,at 10:00 a.m., which will be held via the following call-in number:Call-in number: 888-363-4749, Access code: 7518680. Finally, no later than June 12, 2024, at 12:00 p.m., the parties shall jointly submit to the court (via the email address HellersteinNYSDChambers@nysd.uscourts.gov) a list of all counsel expected to appear on the record, along with their contact information.SO ORDERED.( Telephone Conference set for 6/14/2024 at 10:00 AM before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.) (Signed by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on 5/3/24) (yv) (Entered: 05/03/2024)
2024-05-3124STATUS REPORT. Document filed by United States Department of State..(Tarczynska, Dominika) (Entered: 05/31/2024)
2024-06-1425Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein: Status Conference held on 6/14/2024. (Jones, Brigitte) (Entered: 06/14/2024)
2024-06-2026PROPOSED SCHEDULING ORDER. Document filed by Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University..(Jones, Jennifer) (Entered: 06/20/2024)
2024-06-2027JOINT STIPULATION AND ORDER REGARDING PROCESSING SCHEDULE. IT IS NOW HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED AS FOLLOWS: 1. By June 21, 2024, the State Department will provide an update to Plaintiff on the status of its supplemental searches with respect to Request Nos. 1 and 2. 2. By June 28, 2024, the State Department will inform Plaintiff whether additional responsive call readouts have been identified in its supplemental searches. 3. By July 5, 2024, the State Department will begin processing any records it identifies as potentially responsive in its supplemental searches. The Parties are still negotiating the processing rate for these records and will submit a joint status report setting out their respective positions if they are unable to come to an agreement. 4. By July 5, 2024, the State Department will finish processing the 97 pages that were determined to be responsive during its re-review, or if any delays by external parties prevent the State Department from meeting this deadline it will advise Plaintiff of the reason for the delay. The Parties do not believe that a status conference is necessary at this time, and propose submitting a joint status report to the Court on September 20, 2024. PURSUANT TO STIPULATION, IT IS SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on 6/20/24) (yv) (Entered: 06/21/2024)
2024-09-2028STATUS REPORT. Document filed by United States Department of State..(Tarczynska, Dominika) (Entered: 09/20/2024)
2024-09-2329MEMO ENDORSEMENT on re: 28 Status Report filed by United States Department of State. ENDORSEMENT: So ordered. (Signed by Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on 9/23/2024) (vfr) (Entered: 09/23/2024)
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