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Case TitleDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv00641
Date Filed2018-03-20
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Tanya S. Chutkan
PlaintiffDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionDemocracy Forward Foundation submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning its interpretation of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 in light of the Supreme Court's decision in National Labor Relations Board v. SW General (2017). The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and referred it to the Office of Legal Counsel, which told DFF that it would be unable to respond within the statutory time limit. After hearing nothing further from the agency, DFF filed suit.
Complaint issues: Litigation - Attorney's fees, Adequacy - Search, Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Vaughn index

DefendantDEPARTMENT 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

2018-03-201COMPLAINT against DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5382555) filed by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons)(Dubner, Jeffrey) (Entered: 03/20/2018)
2018-03-20Case Assigned to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. (zsth) (Entered: 03/23/2018)
2018-03-232SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsth) (Entered: 03/23/2018)
2018-04-253RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/11/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/11/2018.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 4/12/18., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 4/11/2018 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Dubner, Jeffrey) (Entered: 04/25/2018)
2018-05-014NOTICE of Appearance by Marina Utgoff Braswell on behalf of DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Braswell, Marina) (Entered: 05/01/2018)
2018-05-115ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Braswell, Marina) (Entered: 05/11/2018)
2018-05-16MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. The requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil procedure appear to be inapplicable. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and propose a schedule for proceeding in this matter. The schedule shall address the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff, whether a motion for an Open America stay is likely in this case, whether a Vaughn index will be required in this case, whether and when either party anticipates filing a dispositive motion, and any other pertinent issues. The parties shall file a joint status report that addresses these issues and that contains a proposed schedule and proposed order no later than 6/11/18. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 5/16/18. (DJS) (Entered: 05/16/2018)
2018-05-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/11/2018. (tb) (Entered: 05/17/2018)
2018-06-116Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Braswell, Marina) (Entered: 06/11/2018)
2018-06-11MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' Joint Status Report 6 , it is hereby ordered that the parties shall file another joint report and PROPOSED ORDER by July 16, 2018.Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 6/11/18. (DJS) (Entered: 06/11/2018)
2018-06-12Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/16/2018. (tb) (Entered: 06/12/2018)
2018-07-167Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Text of Proposed Order)(Dubner, Jeffrey) (Entered: 07/16/2018)
2018-07-18MINUTE ORDER: Having considered the parties' Joint Status Report 7 , it is hereby ordered that the Defendant shall respond to the questions in Plaintiff's June 28, 2018 email and provide a draft Vaughn index for all redacted or withheld documents no later than July 23, 2018. The parties shall submit a another joint report by July 31, 2018, and every thirty days thereafter. To the extent the report contains a proposed production schedule and/or briefing schedule, the report shall be accompanied by a proposed order. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 7/18/18. (DJS) (Entered: 07/18/2018)
2018-07-19Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/31/2018. (tb) (Entered: 07/19/2018)
2018-07-318Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Braswell, Marina) (Entered: 07/31/2018)
2018-08-309Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Braswell, Marina) (Entered: 08/30/2018)
2018-10-0110Joint STATUS REPORT by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Dubner, Jeffrey) (Entered: 10/01/2018)
2018-10-3111STIPULATION of Dismissal by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Dubner, Jeffrey) (Entered: 10/31/2018)
2018-10-3112ORDER OF DISMISSAL: Dismissing action with prejudice. Signed by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan on 10/31/18. (DJS) (Entered: 10/31/2018)
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