Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2016cv00018
Date Filed2016-01-06
Date Closed2017-02-13
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but 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 JUSTICE
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

2016-01-061COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-4369202) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Burke, Lauren) (Entered: 01/06/2016)
2016-01-062LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Burke, Lauren) (Entered: 01/06/2016)
2016-01-06Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (md) (Entered: 01/07/2016)
2016-01-073SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Summons 2nd, # 2 Summons 3rd, # 3 Notice of Consent) (md) (Entered: 01/07/2016)
2016-01-134RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/12/2016. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/11/2016.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 1/12/2016., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 1/12/2016 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Burke, Lauren) (Entered: 01/13/2016)
2016-02-015NOTICE of Appearance by Damon William Taaffe on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 02/01/2016)
2016-02-086ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 02/08/2016)
2016-02-08MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet, confer, and submit a proposed briefing schedule on or before February 22, 2016. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 2/8/2016. (lcrc1) (Entered: 02/08/2016)
2016-02-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 2/22/2016 (tj) (Entered: 02/09/2016)
2016-02-227Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 02/22/2016)
2016-02-23SCHEDULING MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 7 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that Defendant shall make an interim release of records on or before April 29, 2016; that Defendant shall complete its processing and make a final release of records on or before May 31, 2016; that Plaintiff will provide to Defendant a written statement of its disagreements with any withholdings on or before June 17, 2016; and that, on or before June 24, 2016, the parties shall submit another joint status report updating the Court about their discussions and, if necessary, proposing a briefing schedule. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 2/23/2016. (lcrc1) (Entered: 02/23/2016)
2016-02-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 6/24/2016 (tj) (Entered: 02/23/2016)
2016-06-238Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 06/23/2016)
2016-06-23MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 8 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before July 22, 2016, the parties shall submit another joint status report updating the Court about their discussions and, if necessary, proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 6/23/2016. (lcrc1) (Entered: 06/23/2016)
2016-06-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 7/22/2016 (tj) (Entered: 06/23/2016)
2016-07-229Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 07/22/2016)
2016-07-22MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 9 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before September 20, 2016, the parties shall submit another joint status report updating the Court about their discussions and, if necessary, proposing a summary judgment briefing schedule. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 7/22/2016. (lcrc1) (Entered: 07/22/2016)
2016-09-2010Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Burke, Lauren) (Entered: 09/20/2016)
2016-09-26MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 10 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before October 3, 2016, the parties shall submit another joint status report updating the Court about their discussions and, if necessary, proposing a briefing schedule. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 09/26/2016. (lcrc2) (Entered: 09/26/2016)
2016-09-26Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/3/2016 (tj) (Entered: 09/26/2016)
2016-10-0311Joint STATUS REPORT by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Burke, Lauren) (Entered: 10/03/2016)
2016-10-03MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' 11 Joint Status Report and Proposed Schedule, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties will file a further status report, to include a briefing schedule if necessary, by October 21, 2016. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 10/3/2016. (lcrc2) (Entered: 10/03/2016)
2016-10-2112NOTICE of Appearance by Paul J. Orfanedes on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 10/21/2016)
2016-10-2113Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 10/21/2016)
2016-10-24MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 13 the parties' joint status report, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file another status report, which will include a briefing schedule if necessary, by November 24, 2016. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 10/24/2016. (lcrc2) (Entered: 10/24/2016)
2016-11-2814Joint STATUS REPORT (Seventh) by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Orfanedes, Paul) (Entered: 11/28/2016)
2016-11-28MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 14 Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that 14 the parties' Proposed Order is ADOPTED. It is FURTHER ORDERED that the parties shall file a further status report by December 21, 2016. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 11/28/2016. (lcrc2) (Entered: 11/28/2016)
2016-12-2115Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Taaffe, Damon) (Entered: 12/21/2016)
2016-12-21MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 15 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that, on or before February 3, 2017, the parties shall meet, confer, and submit a joint status report, which shall include a briefing schedule if necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on 12/21/2016. (lcrc3) (Entered: 12/21/2016)
2016-12-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Status Report due by 2/3/2017 (tj) (Entered: 12/22/2016)
2017-02-0316STIPULATION of Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Burke, Lauren) (Entered: 02/03/2017)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar