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Case TitleAMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE v. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2024cv00241
Date Filed2024-01-26
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Ana C. Reyes
PlaintiffAMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE
Case DescriptionAmerican Center for Law and Justice submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the removal of the Houthis from the list of designated terrorist organizations. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, ACLJ filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

Defendant2255
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF STATE
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

2024-01-261COMPLAINT against DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-10646649) filed by AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons US Attorney General, # 3 Summons Department of State, # 4 Summons DC AUSA)(Monaghan, John) (Attachment 1 replaced on 1/30/2024) (zcb). (Entered: 01/26/2024)
2024-01-262NOTICE of Appearance by John A. Monaghan on behalf of AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE (Monaghan, John) (Entered: 01/26/2024)
2024-01-263LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE (Monaghan, John) (Entered: 01/26/2024)
2024-01-264ERRATA by AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW AND JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Errata Complaint, # 2 Exhibit Exhibit A, # 3 Exhibit Exhibit B, # 4 Summons AG Summons, # 5 Summons DC AUSA, # 6 Summons Dept of State, # 7 Errata Notice of Appearance, # 8 Errata Rule 26.1 Disclosure)(Monaghan, John) (Entered: 01/26/2024)
2024-01-30Case Assigned to Judge Ana C. Reyes. (zcb) (Entered: 01/30/2024)
2024-01-305SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zcb) (Entered: 01/30/2024)
2024-02-136RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 2/7/2024 (Monaghan, John) (Entered: 02/13/2024)
2024-02-137RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/7/2024. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/8/2024. (Monaghan, John) (Entered: 02/13/2024)
2024-03-058RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 2/13/24. (Monaghan, John) (Entered: 03/05/2024)
2024-03-089NOTICE of Appearance by Christina O'Tousa on behalf of DEPARTMENT OF STATE (O'Tousa, Christina) (Entered: 03/08/2024)
2024-03-0810Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(O'Tousa, Christina) (Entered: 03/08/2024)
2024-03-18MINUTE ORDER granting Defendant's 10 Consent Motion to Extend Time to Respond to the Complaint. It is ORDERED that Defendant shall have until and through March 27, 2024, to answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 3/18/2024 (lcacr1) (Entered: 03/18/2024)
2024-03-24Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Answer or other response to complaint due by 3/27/2024. (zcdw) (Entered: 03/24/2024)
2024-03-2711ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(O'Tousa, Christina) (Entered: 03/27/2024)
2024-03-29MINUTE ORDER. Plaintiff filed this Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) action on January 26, 2024. Dkt 1. Defendant filed its Answer on March 27, 2024. Dkt. 11. 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 April 11, 2024. 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 3/29/2024 (lcacr1) (Entered: 03/29/2024)
2024-03-31Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 4/11/2024. (zcdw) (Entered: 03/31/2024)
2024-04-1112Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (O'Tousa, Christina) (Entered: 04/11/2024)
2024-06-12MINUTE ORDER directing the parties to file another joint status report on or before July 10, 2024, and every 60 days thereafter. Signed by Judge Ana C. Reyes on 6/12/2024. (lcacr1) (Entered: 06/12/2024)
2024-06-12Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Status Report due by 7/10/2024 (zjch, ) (Entered: 06/13/2024)
2024-07-1113NOTICE of Appearance by Alexander Schreiber on behalf of All Defendants (Schreiber, Alexander) (Entered: 07/11/2024)
2024-07-1114Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Schreiber, Alexander) (Entered: 07/11/2024)
2024-08-2915NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF APPEARANCE as to DEPARTMENT OF STATE. Attorney Alexander Schreiber terminated. (O'Tousa, Christina) (Entered: 08/29/2024)
2024-09-0916Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (O'Tousa, Christina) (Entered: 09/09/2024)
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