Skip to content

Case Detail

[Subscribe to updates]
Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2018cv01356
Date Filed2018-06-07
Date Closed2019-11-05
JudgeJudge Rudolph Contreras
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning text messages sent to or received by DOJ official Andrew Weissmann pertaining to Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, as well as calendar entries for Weissmann. 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

2018-06-071COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number 0090-5522079) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons US Attorney for the District of Columbia, # 3 Summons US Attorney General, # 4 Summons US Department of Justice)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 06/07/2018)
2018-06-072LCvR 7.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 06/07/2018)
2018-06-07Case Assigned to Judge Rudolph Contreras. (zmd) (Entered: 06/08/2018)
2018-06-113SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent) (zmd) (Entered: 06/11/2018)
2018-06-264RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 6/18/2018. ( Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 7/18/2018.), RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 06/18/2018., RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 6/18/2018 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of Cristina Rotaru)(Peterson, James) (Entered: 06/26/2018)
2018-07-185ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Layton, Elisabeth) (Entered: 07/18/2018)
2018-07-18MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall meet and confer and submit a proposed briefing schedule on or before August 1, 2018. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on July 18, 2018. (lcrc3) (Entered: 07/18/2018)
2018-07-18Set/Reset Deadlines: Proposed Briefing Schedule due by 8/1/2018 (tj) (Entered: 07/18/2018)
2018-08-016Joint STATUS REPORT And Proposed Schedule by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Layton, Elisabeth) (Entered: 08/01/2018)
2018-08-01MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 6 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that on or before October 1, 2018, the parties shall submit a joint status report and a proposed schedule governing production of responsive, non-exempt records subject to FOIA. The proposed schedule shall include the estimated date by which production will be completed. The proposed schedule shall also include a date by which the parties shall either propose a schedule for briefing dispositive motions or inform the Court that such a briefing schedule is not necessary. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on August 1, 2018. (lcrc3) (Entered: 08/01/2018)
2018-08-03Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 10/1/2018 (hs) (Entered: 08/03/2018)
2018-10-017Joint MOTION for Extension of Time to Submit Joint Status Report and Proposed Schedule by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Layton, Elisabeth) (Entered: 10/01/2018)
2018-10-018NOTICE of Change of Address by Elisabeth Layton (Layton, Elisabeth) (Entered: 10/01/2018)
2018-10-02MINUTE ORDER granting 7 the parties' Joint Motion for Extension of Time. On or before October 5, 2018, the parties shall submit a joint status report and a proposed schedule governing the Defendant's production of responsive, non-exempt records. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on October 2, 2018. (lcrc3) (Entered: 10/02/2018)
2018-10-059Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Layton, Elisabeth) (Entered: 10/05/2018)
2018-10-08MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 9 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the following schedule shall govern further proceedings: On or before April 2, 2019, Defendant shall complete production of any responsive, non-exempt calendar entries subject to FOIA; and on or before June 4, 2019, the parties shall confer and submit to the Court a joint status report and proposed schedule for any further production, if appropriate, and for a dispositive motion briefing schedule, if appropriate. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on October 8, 2018. (lcrc3) (Entered: 10/08/2018)
2019-04-0210Consent MOTION to Amend/Correct Schedule by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Layton, Elisabeth) (Entered: 04/02/2019)
2019-04-03MINUTE ORDER granting 10 Defendant's Consent Motion to Amend Schedule. It is hereby ORDERED that the following schedule shall govern further proceedings: On or before April 16, 2019, Defendant shall complete production of any responsive, non-exempt calendar entries subject to FOIA; and on or before June 18, 2019, the parties shall confer and submit to the Court a joint status report that includes a proposed schedule for any further production, if appropriate, and a proposed dispositive motion briefing schedule, if appropriate. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on April 3, 2019. (lcrc3) (Entered: 04/03/2019)
2019-04-11Set/Reset Deadlines: Production of Docs due by 4/16/2019. Status Report due by 6/18/2019. (tj) (Entered: 04/11/2019)
2019-04-1511NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Andrew Marshall Bernie on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Substituting for attorney Elisabeth Layton (Bernie, Andrew) (Entered: 04/15/2019)
2019-04-1512Unopposed MOTION to Amend/Correct Schedule by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Bernie, Andrew) (Entered: 04/15/2019)
2019-04-16MINUTE ORDER granting 12 Defendant's Unopposed Motion to Amend Schedule. It is hereby ORDERED that the following schedule shall govern further proceedings in this case: On or before May 7, 2019, Defendant shall complete production of any responsive, non-exempt calendar entries subject to FOIA; and on or before July 9, 2019, the parties shall confer and submit to the Court a joint status report that includes a proposed schedule for any further production, if appropriate, and a proposed dispositive motion briefing schedule, if appropriate. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on April 16, 2019. (lcrc3) (Entered: 04/16/2019)
2019-04-17Set/Reset Deadlines: Defendant shall complete production of any responsive, non-exempt calendar entries by 5/7/2019. Status Report due by 7/9/2019. (tj) (Entered: 04/17/2019)
2019-07-0913Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Bernie, Andrew) (Entered: 07/09/2019)
2019-07-09MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of 13 the parties' Joint Status Report, it is hereby ORDERED that the following briefing schedule shall govern further proceedings: Defendant shall file its motion for summary judgment by September 9, 2019; Plaintiff shall file its opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment by October 11, 2019; Defendant shall file its reply in support of its motion for summary judgment and its opposition to Plaintiff's cross-motion for summary judgment by November 1, 2019; and Plaintiff shall file its reply in support of its cross-motion for summary judgment by November 15, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on July 9, 2019. (lcrc3) (Entered: 07/09/2019)
2019-08-2814Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Motion for Summary Judgment and For Amendment of Briefing Schedule by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Bernie, Andrew) (Entered: 08/28/2019)
2019-08-29MINUTE ORDER granting 14 Defendant's Consent Motion for Extension of Time. It is hereby ORDERED that the following briefing schedule shall govern further proceedings: Defendant shall file its motion for summary judgment by October 7, 2019; Plaintiff shall file its opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment by November 8, 2019; Defendant shall file its reply in support of its motion for summary judgment and its opposition to Plaintiff's cross-motion for summary judgment by November 22, 2019; and Plaintiff shall file its reply in support of its cross-motion for summary judgment by December 6, 2019. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on August 29, 2019. (lcrc3) (Entered: 08/29/2019)
2019-08-30Set/Reset Deadlines: Cross Motions due by 11/8/2019. Response to Cross Motions due by 11/22/2019. Reply to Cross Motions due by 12/6/2019. Summary Judgment motions due by 10/7/2019. Response to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 11/8/2019. Reply to Motion for Summary Judgment due by 11/22/2019. (tj) (Entered: 08/30/2019)
2019-10-0815MOTION for Extension of Time to File Motion for Summary Judgment (Nunc Pro Tunc) by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order, # 2 Motion for Summary Judgment, Statement of Facts, Memorandum in Support, # 3 Declaration of Vanessa Brinkmann, # 4 Exhibit Exhibits to Declaration of Vanessa Brinkmann, # 5 Declaration of David Hardy, # 6 Declaration of John Cunningham, # 7 Exhibit Exhibit 1 to Cunningham Declaration, # 8 Exhibit Exhibit 2 to Cunningham Declaration (Part 1), # 9 Exhibit Exhibit 2 to Cunningham Declaration (Part 2), # 10 Text of Proposed Order)(Bernie, Andrew) (Entered: 10/08/2019)
2019-10-16MINUTE ORDER granting 15 Motion for Extension of Time Nunc Pro Tunc. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Rudolph Contreras on October 16, 2019. (lcrc3) (Entered: 10/16/2019)
2019-11-0516STIPULATION of Dismissal by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Peterson, James) (Entered: 11/05/2019)
Hide Docket Events
by FOIA Project Staff
Skip to toolbar