Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleEQUITY FORWARD v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv01049
Date Filed2018-05-03
Date Closed2021-04-06
JudgeJudge Christopher R. Cooper
PlaintiffEQUITY FORWARD
Case DescriptionEquity Forward submitted seven FOIA requests to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning various policies of the Office of Civil Rights. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests, but after the agency failed to respond to their requests, Equity Forward filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees, Expedited processing, Public Interest Fee Waiver

DefendantDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
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

2018-05-031COMPLAINT for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief against DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5459637) filed by EQUITY FORWARD. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney, # 3 Summons HHS, # 4 Summons Attorney General)(Sobel, David) (Entered: 05/03/2018)
2018-05-032LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by EQUITY FORWARD (zsb) (Entered: 05/03/2018)
2018-05-03Case Assigned to Judge Christopher R. Cooper. (zsb) (Entered: 05/03/2018)
2018-05-033SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zsb) (Entered: 05/03/2018)
2018-06-064NOTICE of Appearance by Marsha Wellknown Yee on behalf of DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 06/06/2018)
2018-06-065ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 06/06/2018)
2018-06-07MINUTE ORDER: Before the Court in this FOIA case are a complaint and an answer. Since the requirements of LCvR 16.3 and Rule 26(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not apply, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall confer and file a joint proposed schedule for briefing or disclosure by June 21, 2018. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 6/7/2018. (lccrc2) (Entered: 06/07/2018)
2018-06-07Set/Reset Deadlines: Parties shall confer and file a joint proposed schedule for briefing or disclosure due by 6/21/2018. (znbn) (Entered: 06/07/2018)
2018-06-216PROPOSED BRIEFING SCHEDULE (Joint Proposed Schedule) by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) Modified event title on 7/3/2018 (znmw). (Entered: 06/21/2018)
2018-06-22VACATED PURSUANT TO MINUTE ORDER ENTERED 11/14/2018.....MINUTE ORDER: In light of 6 the parties' joint status report, production in this case shall proceed as follows: Defendant shall provide Plaintiff the total number of potentially responsive pages and shall make its initial production (for which it will process at least 750 pages) by July 23, 2018. Defendant shall thereafter make bi-monthly, rolling productions, for which it shall process at least 2,000 pages. The parties shall file a further joint status report regarding the status of production by September 28, 2018. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 6/22/2018. (lccrc2) Modified on 11/15/2018 (zlsj). (Entered: 06/22/2018)
2018-06-22Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/28/2018 (lsj) (Entered: 06/22/2018)
2018-09-287Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 09/28/2018)
2018-10-03MINUTE ORDER: The parties shall file a further joint status report on or before January 30, 2019. The Court encourages the parties to continue their efforts to prioritize and streamline the agency's review of the remaining responsive documents. Should those efforts result in a need to revise the current production schedule, the parties should feel free to contact the Court prior to the due date for the next status report. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 10/3/2018. (lccrc2) (Entered: 10/03/2018)
2018-10-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/30/2019 (lsj) (Entered: 10/03/2018)
2018-11-138Joint MOTION to Modify Production Schedule Set Out in the Minute Order Dated June 22, 2018 by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/13/2018)
2018-11-14MINUTE ORDER granting the parties' 8 Joint Motion to Modify the Production Schedule set out in the Court's minute order dated June 22, 2018. That order is hereby vacated. Defendant shall now process at least 1,250 potentially responsive pages bimonthly, reviewing only email messages and skipping attachments. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 11/14/2018. (lccrc2) (Entered: 11/14/2018)
2019-01-239Consent MOTION to Stay , MOTION for Extension of Time to in Light of Lapse of Appropriations by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hudak, Brian) (Entered: 01/23/2019)
2019-01-23MINUTE ORDER granting 9 Motion to Stay. All deadlines in the case shall be stayed pending renewed funding. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 1/23/2019. (lccrc2) (Entered: 01/23/2019)
2019-02-01MINUTE ORDER: In light of the restoration of appropriations, the stay in this case is lifted. The parties shall provide a joint status report on or before February 8, 2019, which shall include a proposed schedule for future proceedings. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 2/1/2019. (lccrc2) (Entered: 02/01/2019)
2019-02-05Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 2/8/2019 (lsj) (Entered: 02/05/2019)
2019-02-0810Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-02-08MINUTE ORDER: In light of 10 the parties' joint status report, the parties shall file an updated joint status report on or before May 30, 2019, which shall advise the Court on the status of production and propose a briefing schedule if necessary. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 2/8/2019. (lccrc2) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-02-08Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/30/2019. (znbn) (Entered: 02/08/2019)
2019-05-3011Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 05/30/2019)
2019-05-31MINUTE ORDER: In light of the parties' most recent joint status report, the parties are hereby ordered to submit an updated joint status report on or before September 30, 2019. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 5/31/2019. (lccrc2) (Entered: 05/31/2019)
2019-06-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 9/30/2019 (lsj) (Entered: 06/03/2019)
2019-09-3012Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 09/30/2019)
2019-10-01MINUTE ORDER: In light of 12 the parties' most recent joint status report, the parties are hereby ordered to submit an updated joint status report on or before January 23, 2020. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 10/1/19. (lccrc2) (Entered: 10/01/2019)
2019-10-01Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/23/2020. (nbn) (Entered: 10/01/2019)
2020-01-2313Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 01/23/2020)
2020-01-23MINUTE ORDER: In light of 13 the parties' latest joint status report, the parties are directed to file their next joint status report by May 29, 2020. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 1/23/20. (lccrc2) (Entered: 01/23/2020)
2020-01-24Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 5/29/2020 (lsj) (Entered: 01/24/2020)
2020-05-2914Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 05/29/2020)
2020-06-02MINUTE ORDER: In light of 14 the parties' latest joint status report, the parties are directed to file their next joint status report by July 31, 2020, which shall include an update on how many pages of materials remain to be processed and the estimated timeline for completion. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 6/2/20. (lccrc2) (Entered: 06/02/2020)
2020-06-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 7/31/2020 (lsj) (Entered: 06/03/2020)
2020-07-3015Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 07/30/2020)
2020-08-03MINUTE ORDER: The parties are directed to appear for video status conference on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Christopher R. Cooper. Video conference instructions will be communicated separately. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 8/3/20. (lccrc2) (Entered: 08/03/2020)
2020-08-05Set/Reset Hearings: Video Status Conference set for 8/6/2020 at 2:30 PM before Judge Christopher R. Cooper. (lsj) (Entered: 08/05/2020)
2020-08-06Minute Entry for Video Status Conference held before Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 8/6/2020. Forthcoming Order. (Court Reporter: Lisa Moreira) (lsj) (Entered: 08/06/2020)
2020-08-06MINUTE ORDER: As discussed on the record at today's status conference, the parties shall file their next joint status report by November 30, 2020, which shall include an update on the parties' efforts to narrow the scope of the searches. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 8/6/20. (lccrc2) (Entered: 08/06/2020)
2020-08-06Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 11/30/2020 (lsj) (Entered: 08/06/2020)
2020-11-3016Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 11/30/2020)
2020-12-07MINUTE ORDER: In light of 16 the parties' most recent Joint Status Report, the next Joint Status Report is due by 2/3/2021. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 12/7/2020. (lccrc2) (Entered: 12/07/2020)
2021-02-0317Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 02/03/2021)
2021-02-09MINUTE ORDER: In light of 17 the parties' latest Joint Status Report, the parties next Joint Status Report is due by April 8, 2021. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 2/9/2021. (lccrc2) (Entered: 02/09/2021)
2021-02-09Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 4/8/2021. (nbn) (Entered: 02/09/2021)
2021-04-0518STIPULATION of Dismissal by DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. (Yee, Marsha) (Entered: 04/05/2021)
2021-04-07MINUTE ORDER: In light of 18 the parties' Stipulation of Dismissal, this case is hereby dismissed. Signed by Judge Christopher R. Cooper on 4/7/2021. (lccrc2) (Entered: 04/07/2021)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar