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Case TitleDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv00686
Date Filed2018-03-27
Date Closed2019-07-08
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffDEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION
Case DescriptionDemocracy Forward Foundation submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning an unscheduled October 4, 2017 press conference held by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. DFF also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, DFF filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2018-03-271COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5391463) filed by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Civil Cover Sheet, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons, # 6 Summons)(Guzman, Javier) (Entered: 03/27/2018)
2018-03-27Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zmd) (Entered: 03/27/2018)
2018-03-292SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent) (tth) (Entered: 03/29/2018)
2018-04-173RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/4/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/4/2018.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 4/4/18., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 4/4/2018 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration)(Jones, Karianne) (Entered: 04/17/2018)
2018-05-034ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 05/03/2018)
2018-05-095ORDER. Both a Complaint and an Answer are now before the court in this FOIA case. It is hereby ordered that the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report on or before May 23, 2018. See attached Order for details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 05/09/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 05/09/2018)
2018-05-09Set/Reset Deadlines/Hearings: Joint Status Report due by 5/23/2018. (zcdw) (Entered: 05/10/2018)
2018-05-236Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 05/23/2018)
2018-05-23MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file a Joint Status Report on or before June 25, 2018, advising the court of their progress in this matter and, if necessary, proposing a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 05/23/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 05/23/2018)
2018-05-23Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 6/25/2018. (zjd) (Entered: 05/25/2018)
2018-06-257Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 06/25/2018)
2018-06-27MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file a Joint Status Report on or before July 19, 2018, advising the court of their progress in this matter and, if necessary, proposing a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 06/27/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 06/27/2018)
2018-06-27Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/19/2018. (zjd) (Entered: 06/28/2018)
2018-07-198Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 07/19/2018)
2018-07-23MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 8 Joint Status Report, the parties shall submit a subsequent Joint Status Report advising the court of their progress on or before August 31, 2018. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 07/23/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 07/23/2018)
2018-07-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 8/31/2018. (tg) (Entered: 07/24/2018)
2018-08-319Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 08/31/2018)
2018-08-31MINUTE ORDER. In light of the parties' 9 Joint Status Report, the parties shall submit a subsequent Joint Status Report advising the court of their progress on or before October 31, 2018. In the Status Report, the parties shall report the expected number of potentially responsive records and estimate a date by which production will be complete. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 08/31/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 08/31/2018)
2018-08-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/31/2018. (zjd) (Entered: 08/31/2018)
2018-10-3110Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 10/31/2018)
2018-10-31MINUTE ORDER. Upon consideration of the parties' 10 October 31, 2018, Joint Status Report, the parties are directed to file another Joint Status Report, on or before January 4, 2019. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/31/2018. (lcapm3) (Entered: 10/31/2018)
2018-10-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/4/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 11/01/2018)
2019-01-0211Unopposed MOTION to Stay In Light of the Lapse In Appropriations by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 01/02/2019)
2019-01-07MINUTE ORDER granting Motion for a Stay of Proceedings. This matter is hereby stayed. Within three business days of Department of Justice operations resuming, Defendant shall notify the court by when the parties will file their next Joint Status Report. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/07/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 01/07/2019)
2019-01-3112NOTICE of Resumption of Government Operations and Proposed Schedule by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 01/31/2019)
2019-01-31MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file their next Joint Status Report by February 12, 2019. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/31/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 01/31/2019)
2019-01-31Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/12/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 02/05/2019)
2019-02-1213Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 02/12/2019)
2019-02-14MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file their next Joint Status Report on or before May 17, 2019. If by that date Defendant has produced all responsive records, the parties shall meet and confer and recommend a course for further proceedings. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 02/14/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 02/14/2019)
2019-02-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/17/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 02/14/2019)
2019-05-1714Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Hendry, Melanie) (Entered: 05/17/2019)
2019-05-21MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by July 10, 2019, which advises whether summary judgment briefing will be required and, if so, proposes a briefing schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 05/21/2019. (lcapm3) (Entered: 05/21/2019)
2019-05-21Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/10/2019. (zjd) (Entered: 05/21/2019)
2019-07-0815STIPULATION of Dismissal by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION. (Jones, Karianne) (Entered: 07/08/2019)
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