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Case TitleVOTEVETS ACTION FUND v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2017cv02677
Date Filed2017-12-14
Date Closed2018-12-13
JudgeChief Judge Beryl A. Howell
PlaintiffVOTEVETS ACTION FUND
Case DescriptionVoteVets Action Fund submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army for records concerning the events that led up to the deaths of U.S. special forces personnel in Niger and Yemen. Both the Defense Department and the Army acknowledged receipt of the requests. The Defense Department indicated that the request involved unusual circumstances and would take some time to process. After hearing nothing further from the agencies, VoteVets Action Fund filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
DefendantUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
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

2017-12-141COMPLAINT against UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5248313) filed by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons)(Guzman, Javier) (Entered: 12/14/2017)
2017-12-14Case Assigned to Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell. (zmd) (Entered: 12/18/2017)
2017-12-182SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent) (zmd) (Entered: 12/18/2017)
2017-12-193STANDING ORDER. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on December 19, 2017. (lcbah3) (Entered: 12/19/2017)
2017-12-204Corporate Disclosure Statement by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND. (Guzman, Javier) (Entered: 12/20/2017)
2018-01-035RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE served on 12/26/2017; UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY served on 12/22/2017, RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 12/26/17., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 12/26/2017. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 1/25/2018.) (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Guzman, Javier) (Entered: 01/03/2018)
2018-01-056MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice :Attorney Name- Robin F. Thurston, :Firm- Democracy Forward Foundation, :Address- P.O. Box 34553, Washington, DC 20043. Phone No. - 202-448-9090. Filing fee $ 100, receipt number 0090-5275044. Fee Status: Fee Paid. by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND (Attachments: # 1 Declaration, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Guzman, Javier) (Entered: 01/05/2018)
2018-01-05MINUTE ORDER (paperless) GRANTING the plaintiff's 6 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice . Ms. Robin F. Thurston, Esq., may enter an appearance pro hac vice for the purpose of representing the plaintiff in this action. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on January 5, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 01/05/2018)
2018-01-227NOTICE of Appearance by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 01/22/2018)
2018-01-228MOTION to Stay Litigation Proceedings by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 01/22/2018)
2018-01-24MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DENYING as moot, in light of the restoration of appropriations to the government on January 22, 2018, the defendant's 8 Motion to Stay Litigation Proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on January 24, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 01/24/2018)
2018-01-259ANSWER to 1 Complaint by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY.(Schaefer, Daniel) Modified to add link on 1/26/2018 (znmw). (Entered: 01/25/2018)
2018-02-2010Joint STATUS REPORT by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Thurston, Robin) (Entered: 02/20/2018)
2018-02-20MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 10 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by March 7, 2018, a joint status report recommending a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on February 20, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 02/20/2018)
2018-02-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 3/7/2018. (tg) (Entered: 02/21/2018)
2018-03-0711Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 03/07/2018)
2018-03-08MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 11 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by April 5, 2018, a joint status report recommending a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on March 8, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 03/08/2018)
2018-03-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/5/2018. (tg) (Entered: 03/09/2018)
2018-04-0512Joint STATUS REPORT by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND. (Thurston, Robin) (Entered: 04/05/2018)
2018-04-05MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 12 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by May 18, 2018, a joint status report recommending a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on April 5, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 04/05/2018)
2018-04-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/18/2018. (tg) (Entered: 04/06/2018)
2018-05-1813Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 05/18/2018)
2018-05-18MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 13 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by July 19, 2018, a joint status report recommending a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on May 18, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 05/18/2018)
2018-05-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/19/2018. (tg) (Entered: 05/21/2018)
2018-07-1914Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 07/19/2018)
2018-07-19MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 14 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by September 13, 2018, a joint status report recommending a schedule for further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on July 19, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 07/19/2018)
2018-07-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/13/2018. (jth) (Entered: 07/19/2018)
2018-09-1315Joint STATUS REPORT by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND. (Thurston, Robin) (Entered: 09/13/2018)
2018-09-13MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 15 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by October 12, 2018, a joint status report proposing a schedule to govern further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on September 13, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 09/13/2018)
2018-09-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/12/2018. (tg) (Entered: 09/14/2018)
2018-10-1216Joint STATUS REPORT by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Thurston, Robin) (Entered: 10/12/2018)
2018-10-12MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 16 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by November 13, 2018, a joint status report proposing a schedule to govern further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on October 12, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 10/12/2018)
2018-10-15Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/13/2018. (tg) (Entered: 10/15/2018)
2018-11-1317Joint STATUS REPORT by UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/13/2018)
2018-11-13MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DIRECTING, upon consideration of the parties' 17 Joint Status Report, the parties to file, by December 13, 2018, if a stipulation of dismissal has not been filed by that date, a joint status report advising the Court whether any disputes remain between the parties and, if so, a proposed schedule to govern further proceedings. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on November 13, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 11/13/2018)
2018-11-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 12/13/2018. (hmc) (Entered: 11/14/2018)
2018-12-1318STIPULATION of Dismissal by VOTEVETS ACTION FUND. (Thurston, Robin) (Entered: 12/13/2018)
2018-12-13MINUTE ORDER (paperless) DISMISSING this matter, with prejudice, pursuant to the parties' 18 Stipulation of Dismissal. The Clerk is directed to close this case. Signed by Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell on December 13, 2018. (lcbah3) (Entered: 12/13/2018)
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