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Case TitleAMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2023cv01948
Date Filed2023-07-06
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Reggie B. Walton
PlaintiffAMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionAmerica First Legal Foundation submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Justice, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security for records concerning Hunter Biden. The agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests. DOJ asked AFL to clarify the scope of its request. AFL declined to do so. After hearing nothing further from the agencies, AFL filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF STATE
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
Complaint attachment 11
Complaint attachment 12
Complaint attachment 13
Complaint attachment 14
Complaint attachment 15
Complaint attachment 16
Complaint attachment 17
Complaint attachment 18
Complaint attachment 19
Complaint attachment 20
Complaint attachment 21
Complaint attachment 22
Complaint attachment 23
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2023-07-061COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-10184920) filed by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Exhibit, # 5 Exhibit, # 6 Exhibit, # 7 Exhibit, # 8 Exhibit, # 9 Exhibit, # 10 Exhibit, # 11 Exhibit, # 12 Exhibit, # 13 Exhibit, # 14 Exhibit, # 15 Exhibit, # 16 Exhibit, # 17 Exhibit, # 18 Exhibit, # 19 Civil Cover Sheet, # 20 Summons, # 21 Summons, # 22 Summons, # 23 Summons)(Ding, Michael) (Entered: 07/06/2023)
2023-07-062LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 07/06/2023)
2023-07-06Case Assigned to Judge Reggie B. Walton. (zcb) (Entered: 07/06/2023)
2023-07-063SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zcb) (Entered: 07/06/2023)
2023-07-114RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 7/7/2023. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 8/6/2023. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(Ding, Michael) (Entered: 07/11/2023)
2023-07-115GENERAL ORDER FOR CIVIL CASES BEFORE THE HONORABLE REGGIE B. WALTON. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on July 11, 2023. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 07/11/2023)
2023-08-046NOTICE of Appearance by Cynthia Liao on behalf of All Defendants (Liao, Cynthia) (Entered: 08/04/2023)
2023-08-047MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint,, by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Liao, Cynthia) (Entered: 08/04/2023)
2023-08-07MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the defendants' 7 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Answer, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that the defendants' 7 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to File Answer is GRANTED. It is further ORDERED that, on or before August 14, 2023, the defendants shall respond to the Complaint in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on August 7, 2023. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 08/07/2023)
2023-08-088NOTICE of Appearance by Juli Zsuzsa Haller on behalf of AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION (Haller, Juli) (Entered: 08/08/2023)
2023-08-099RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 07/17/2023. (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 08/09/2023)
2023-08-0910RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY served on 7/17/2023 (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 08/09/2023)
2023-08-09MINUTE ORDER. To ensure the expeditious resolution of this action, and because this qualifies as an exempted case under Local Civil Rule 16.3(b), it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before September 6, 2023, the parties shall file a joint proposed briefing schedule governing further proceedings. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on August 9, 2023. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 08/09/2023)
2023-08-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties Proposed Joint Briefing Schedule due by 9/6/2023 (mac) (Entered: 08/09/2023)
2023-08-1411ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Liao, Cynthia) (Entered: 08/14/2023)
2023-08-14MINUTE ORDER. To ensure the expeditious resolution of this action, and because this qualifies as an exempted case under Local Civil Rule 16.3(b), it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before September 11, 2023, the parties shall file a joint proposed briefing schedule governing further proceedings. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on August 14, 2023. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 08/14/2023)
2023-08-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 9/11/2023. (zalh) (Entered: 09/14/2023)
2023-08-3012RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 8/28/2023 (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 08/30/2023)
2023-09-1113Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION. (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 09/11/2023)
2023-09-12MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before December 11, 2023, the parties shall file an additional joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on September 12, 2023. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 09/12/2023)
2023-09-13Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/11/2023. (zalh) (Entered: 09/13/2023)
2023-12-1114Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION. (Ding, Michael) (Entered: 12/11/2023)
2023-12-12MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before March 11, 2024, the parties shall submit a joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on December 12, 2023. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 12/12/2023)
2024-01-2615NOTICE of Appearance by Agbeko C. Petty on behalf of All Defendants (Petty, Agbeko) (Main Document 15 replaced on 1/28/2024) (ztth). (Entered: 01/26/2024)
2024-03-1116Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Petty, Agbeko) (Entered: 03/11/2024)
2024-03-12MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before June 11, 2024, the parties shall submit a joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on March 12, 2024. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 03/12/2024)
2024-06-1117Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICA FIRST LEGAL FOUNDATION. (Haller, Juli) (Entered: 06/11/2024)
2024-06-12MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before September 11, 2024, the parties shall submit a joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on June 12, 2024. (lcrbw3) (Entered: 06/12/2024)
2024-09-1118Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Petty, Agbeko) (Entered: 09/11/2024)
2024-09-11MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 18 Joint Status Report, and for good cause shown, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before December 11, 2024, the parties shall submit a joint status report regarding how they wish to proceed in this case. Signed by Judge Reggie B. Walton on September 11, 2024. (lcrbw2) (Entered: 09/11/2024)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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