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Case TitleJUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2021cv03389
Date Filed2021-12-31
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Amit P. Mehta
PlaintiffJUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Case DescriptionJudicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning a memorandum issued by Attorney General Merrick Garland indicating the agency will protect school administrators from threats by extremists. 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

2021-12-311COMPLAINT against U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-8956254) filed by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons for US Attorney for DC, # 3 Summons for US Attorney General, # 4 Summons for U.S. Department of Justice)(Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 12/31/2021)
2021-12-312LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 12/31/2021)
2022-01-06Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zsb) (Entered: 01/06/2022)
2022-01-113SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znm) (Entered: 01/11/2022)
2022-01-224RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 1/14/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 2/13/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 01/22/2022)
2022-01-225RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 01/21/22. (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 01/22/2022)
2022-01-226RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 1/21/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Declaration of David Rothstein)(Cotca, Ramona) (Entered: 01/22/2022)
2022-02-107NOTICE of Appearance by Anna Davis Walker on behalf of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 02/10/2022)
2022-02-108Unopposed MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer or Otherwise Respond by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Walker, Anna) (Entered: 02/10/2022)
2022-02-10MINUTE ORDER granting 8 Unopposed Motion for Extension of Time to Answer Complaint. Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint on or before March 16, 2022. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/10/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 02/10/2022)
2022-03-169ANSWER to Complaint by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Walker, Anna) (Entered: 03/16/2022)
2022-03-1610ORDER. 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 March 30, 2022. The Joint Status Report shall include (1) the status of Plaintiff's FOIA request; (2) the anticipated number of documents responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request; (3) the anticipated date(s) for release of the documents requested by Plaintiff; (4) whether a motion to stay is likely under Open America v. Watergate Special Prosecution Force, 547 F.2d 605 (D.C. Cir. 1976); and (5) whether the parties anticipate summary judgment briefing and, if so, a proposed briefing schedule. See the attached Order for additional details. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/16/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/16/2022)
2022-03-3011Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-03-31MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by April 29, 2022, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 3/31/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/31/2022)
2022-04-2912NOTICE of Appearance by Erika Kirstie Oblea on behalf of All Defendants (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 04/29/2022)
2022-04-2913Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 04/29/2022)
2022-05-01MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by June 28, 2022, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 5/1/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 05/02/2022)
2022-06-2814Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Oblea, Erika) (Entered: 06/28/2022)
2022-06-30MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by August 26, 2022, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 6/30/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 06/30/2022)
2022-08-2615Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 08/26/2022)
2022-08-26MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by September 27, 2022, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 8/26/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 08/26/2022)
2022-09-2616Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 09/26/2022)
2022-09-26MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by October 27, 2022, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 9/26/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 09/26/2022)
2022-10-2617Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 10/26/2022)
2022-10-27MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by December 1, 2022, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 10/27/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 10/27/2022)
2022-12-0118Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 12/01/2022)
2022-12-02MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by December 22, 2022, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/2/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 12/02/2022)
2022-12-2219Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 12/22/2022)
2022-12-23MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 31, 2023, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 12/23/2022. (lcapm1) (Entered: 12/23/2022)
2023-01-3120Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 01/31/2023)
2023-02-01MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by March 2, 2023, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 2/1/2023. (lcapm1) (Entered: 02/01/2023)
2023-03-0221Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 03/02/2023)
2023-03-03MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by March 30, 2023, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 03/03/2023. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/03/2023)
2023-03-3022JOINT STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna); Modified text at the request of counsel on 3/30/2023 (ztth). (Entered: 03/30/2023)
2023-03-31MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by April 23, 2023, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 03/31/2023. (lcapm1) (Entered: 03/31/2023)
2023-04-2123Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 04/21/2023)
2023-04-21MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by June 22, 2023, which advises whether further proceedings will be required and, if so, proposes a schedule. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 04/21/2023. (lcapm1) (Entered: 04/21/2023)
2023-06-0724NOTICE of Appearance by Jason Blaine Aldrich on behalf of JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. (Aldrich, Jason) (Entered: 06/07/2023)
2023-06-2225Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 06/22/2023)
2023-06-23MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by September 20, 2023, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 06/23/2023. (lcapm1) (Entered: 06/23/2023)
2023-09-2026Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 09/20/2023)
2023-09-21MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report by January 18, 2024, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 09/21/2023. (lcapm1) (Entered: 09/21/2023)
2024-01-1827Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Walker, Anna) (Entered: 01/18/2024)
2024-01-19MINUTE ORDER. The parties shall file an additional Joint Status Report on or before May 17, 2024, which updates the court on the processing and production of responsive records. Signed by Judge Amit P. Mehta on 01/19/2024. (lcapm1) (Entered: 01/19/2024)
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