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Case TitleMARTINEZ v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2020cv00251
Date Filed2020-01-30
Date Closed2022-06-21
JudgeJudge Randolph D. Moss
PlaintiffFREDDY MARTINEZ
Case DescriptionFreddy Martinez, a journalist, submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning open or closed investigations of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, pertaining to threats to their safety. The agency acknowledged Martinez's request and split it into four separate requests. The FBI then told Martinez that it was administratively closing his requests because they required the agency to answer questions. Martinez filed an administrative appeal of all four requests. The agency remanded the requests for further processing. The agency told Martinez that it was searching for records on threats to Ocasio-Cortez and Omar. It also told Martinez that it found no records pertaining to threats to Pressley. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Martinez filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantU.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DefendantFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Documents
Docket
Complaint
Complaint attachment 1
Complaint attachment 2
Complaint attachment 3
Complaint attachment 4
Complaint attachment 5
Complaint attachment 6
Complaint attachment 7
Complaint attachment 8
Complaint attachment 9
Complaint attachment 10
Complaint attachment 11
Complaint attachment 12
Complaint attachment 13
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2020-01-301COMPLAINT against FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 400 receipt number ADCDC-6782569) filed by FREDDY MARTINEZ. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Exhibit H, # 9 Exhibit I, # 10 Exhibit J, # 11 Exhibit K, # 12 Civil Cover Sheet, # 13 Summons)(Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 01/30/2020)
2020-01-302NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua Hart Burday on behalf of FREDDY MARTINEZ (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 01/30/2020)
2020-01-303NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Topic on behalf of FREDDY MARTINEZ (Topic, Matthew) (Entered: 01/30/2020)
2020-01-31Case Assigned to Judge Randolph D. Moss. (adh, ) (Entered: 01/31/2020)
2020-01-314SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(adh, ) (Entered: 01/31/2020)
2020-01-315STANDING ORDER: The parties are hereby ORDERED to comply with the directives set forth in the attached Standing Order. See document for details. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 1/31/20. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 01/31/2020)
2020-02-256NOTICE of Appearance by Katherine Boyd Palmer-Ball on behalf of All Defendants (Palmer-Ball, Katherine) (Entered: 02/25/2020)
2020-03-127ANSWER to Complaint by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Palmer-Ball, Katherine) (Entered: 03/12/2020)
2020-03-12MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that, on or before April 28, 2020, the parties shall confer and file a joint status report addressing (1) any documents still to be produced pursuant to FOIA; (2) an anticipated schedule for processing and producing any such documents; and (3) any substantive areas of disagreement between the parties. It is further ORDERED that the parties shall appear for an initial FOIA scheduling conference on May 5, 2020 at 10:15 a.m, in Courtroom 21, before Judge Randolph D. Moss. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 3/12/20. (lcrdm1) Modified on 3/12/2020 to add courtroom number and presiding judge (kt). (Entered: 03/12/2020)
2020-03-17MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that the initial FOIA scheduling conference originally scheduled for May 5, 2020 is hereby VACATED and RESCHEDULED for May 22, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., in Courtroom 21, before Judge Randolph D. Moss. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 3/17/20. (lcrdm1) Modified on 3/17/2020 to add courtroom number and presiding judge (kt). (Entered: 03/17/2020)
2020-03-258RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 2/18/2020 (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 03/25/2020)
2020-03-259RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION served on 2/10/2020 (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 03/25/2020)
2020-03-2510RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 2/11/2020. (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 03/25/2020)
2020-03-2511RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 2/10/2020. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 3/11/2020. (Burday, Joshua) (Entered: 03/25/2020)
2020-04-2812Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A)(Palmer-Ball, Katherine) (Entered: 04/28/2020)
2020-04-29MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 12 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further status report on or before May 28, 2020. Given this date for the next status report and the impact of COVID-19 on RIDS, it is hereby ORDERED that the initial scheduling conference scheduled for May 22, 2020 is VACATED and RESCHEDULED for June 5, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. It is further ORDERED that the initial scheduling conference shall be conducted via teleconference. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 4/29/2020. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 04/29/2020)
2020-05-2813Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Joint Status Report by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Palmer-Ball, Katherine) (Entered: 05/28/2020)
2020-05-29MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of Defendants' consent motion for extension of time, Dkt. 13 , it is hereby ORDERED that the motion is GRANTED. It is further ordered that the parties shall file their next status report on or before June 4, 2020. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 5/29/2020. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 05/29/2020)
2020-06-0414Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Palmer-Ball, Katherine) (Entered: 06/04/2020)
2020-06-05Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Randolph D. Moss: Telephonic Initial Scheduling Conference held on 6/5/2020. Both parties, and the Court, appeared via telephone. Defendants shall process 500 pages of records between now and September 15th, and shall release any non-exempt records from those materials as well. Rolling productions shall continue at 500 pages being processed per month. Joint Status Report due by 9/22/2020, with further Joint Status Reports being due every 60 days thereafter. (Court Reporter: Jeff Hook.) (kt) (Entered: 06/05/2020)
2020-08-2115NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Kathleene A. Molen on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Katherine B. Palmer-Ball (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 08/21/2020)
2020-09-2216Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 09/22/2020)
2020-11-2317Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 11/23/2020)
2021-01-2218Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 01/22/2021)
2021-03-2319Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 03/23/2021)
2021-05-2420Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 05/24/2021)
2021-07-2321Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 07/23/2021)
2021-09-2122Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Molen, Kathleene) (Entered: 09/21/2021)
2021-11-0823NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF COUNSEL by Daniel Patrick Schaefer on behalf of All Defendants Substituting for attorney Kathleene A. Molen (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/08/2021)
2021-11-2224Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 11/22/2021)
2022-01-1825Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 01/18/2022)
2022-03-2126NOTICE of Appearance by Joshua Loevy on behalf of FREDDY MARTINEZ (Loevy, Joshua) (Entered: 03/21/2022)
2022-03-2127Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 03/21/2022)
2022-05-2028Joint STATUS REPORT by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 05/20/2022)
2022-05-23MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 28 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a stipulation of dismissal or a further joint status report on or before June 20, 2022. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 5/23/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 05/23/2022)
2022-06-1729STIPULATION of Dismissal by FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Schaefer, Daniel) (Entered: 06/17/2022)
2022-06-17MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' stipulation of dismissal, Dkt. 29 , it is hereby ORDERED that the case is DISMISSED with prejudice. The Clerk of Court is directed to terminate this case. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 6/17/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 06/17/2022)
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