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Case TitleAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION et al v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv00853
Date Filed2022-03-30
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Jia M. Cobb
PlaintiffAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
PlaintiffWASHINGTON LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Case DescriptionThe ACLU and the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records provided to the Office of the Inspector General in connection with its review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Use of Restrictive Housing for Inmates with Mental Illness. The ACLU also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, the ACLU and WLCCRUA filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Litigation - Attorney's fees

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

2022-03-301COMPLAINT for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief against DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9137365) filed by AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, WASHINGTON LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND URBAN AFFAIRS. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 26.1 Certificate, # 3 Summons AG, # 4 Summons DOJ, # 5 Summons USAO)(Sobel, David) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-03-302NOTICE of Appearance by Arthur B. Spitzer on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Spitzer, Arthur) (Entered: 03/30/2022)
2022-03-31NOTICE OF ERROR re 1 26.1 Certificate; emailed to sobel@att.net, cc'd 9 associated attorneys -- The PDF file you docketed contained errors: 1. Pleading filed as attachment. Please file pleading as separate entry., 2. Please submit using the event LCvR 26.1 Certificate of Disclosure-Corporate Affiliations/Financial Interests., 3. COMPLIANCE DEADLINE is by close of business today. This case will not proceed any further until all errors are satisfied. (znmg, ) (Entered: 03/31/2022)
2022-03-31Case Assigned to Judge Jia M. Cobb. (znmg) (Entered: 03/31/2022)
2022-03-313SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zjf) (Entered: 03/31/2022)
2022-03-314LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, WASHINGTON LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND URBAN AFFAIRS (Sobel, David) (Entered: 03/31/2022)
2022-04-215RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/15/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/15/2022. (Sobel, David) (Entered: 04/21/2022)
2022-04-216RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE served on 4/15/2022 (Sobel, David) Modified on 4/25/2022 to add party/service date (zjf). (Entered: 04/21/2022)
2022-04-227RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 04/12/2022. (Sobel, David) (Entered: 04/22/2022)
2022-05-138NOTICE of Appearance by Thomas Duffey on behalf of DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 05/13/2022)
2022-05-149Consent MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer re 1 Complaint, by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 05/14/2022)
2022-05-17MINUTE ORDER granting 9 Consent Motion for Extension of Time to Answer: Upon consideration of Defendant's Motion, and for good cause shown, the Court ORDERS that the Motion is GRANTED. Defendant shall answer or otherwise respond to the Complaint by June 16, 2022. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on May 17, 2022. (lcjmc2) (Entered: 05/17/2022)
2022-06-1610ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 06/16/2022)
2022-06-27MINUTE ORDER: The Court ORDERS that the Parties confer and submit a joint proposed schedule for further proceedings, which shall include a proposed schedule for the processing and release of responsive records or for briefing dispositive motions, by July 11, 2022. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on June 27, 2022. (lcjmc2) (Entered: 06/27/2022)
2022-07-1111Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 07/11/2022)
2022-07-1212SCHEDULING ORDER: Joint Status Report due 9/30/22, and every 90 days thereafter. See document for scheduling order and information concerning case procedures. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on July 12, 2022. (lcjmc2) Modified on 7/12/2022, to correct an error. (zgdf). (Entered: 07/12/2022)
2022-08-0113NOTICE of Appearance by Maria Morris on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Morris, Maria) (Entered: 08/01/2022)
2022-09-3014Joint STATUS REPORT by US DEPT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 09/30/2022)
2022-12-2715Joint STATUS REPORT by US DEPT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 12/27/2022)
2023-03-2916Joint STATUS REPORT by US DEPT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 03/29/2023)
2023-06-2717Joint STATUS REPORT by All Parties by AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, WASHINGTON LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND URBAN AFFAIRS. (Morris, Maria) (Entered: 06/27/2023)
2023-07-07MINUTE ORDER re 17 Joint Status Report: Based on the Parties' Joint Status Report, the Court understands that Defendant represents it has finished producing non-exempted documents that are responsive to Plaintiff's FOIA request, but that Plaintiff disputes the adequacy of Defendant's search and the appropriateness of the exemptions invoked by Defendant. The Court would typically issue a schedule for summary judgment briefing in this sort of situation, where a plaintiff disputes the sufficiency of a FOIA response. However, Defendant indicates that it has not had time to fully review the issues outlined by Plaintiff in the Joint Status report. See ECF 17 at 8. To give the Parties another opportunity to narrow the issues for summary judgment, the Court ORDERS the Parties to meet and confer one more time to discuss the remaining issues and determine whether resolution is possible. If the Parties are unable to resolve the remaining issues, the Court will issue a schedule for summary judgment briefing. The Parties shall submit another Joint Status Report by July 26, 2023, updating the Court on the status of the remaining issues and proposing a schedule for summary judgment briefing if needed. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on July 7, 2023. (lcjmc1) (Entered: 07/07/2023)
2023-07-2618Joint STATUS REPORT by US DEPT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 07/26/2023)
2023-07-27MINUTE ORDER re 18 Joint Status Report: The Court ORDERS the Parties to submit another Joint Status Report on September 11, 2023, and every 90 days thereafter. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on July 27, 2023. (lcjmc1) (Entered: 07/27/2023)
2023-09-1119Joint STATUS REPORT by AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, WASHINGTON LAWYERS' COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND URBAN AFFAIRS. (Morris, Maria) (Entered: 09/11/2023)
2023-12-1120Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 12/11/2023)
2023-12-1221NOTICE of Change of Address by Arthur B. Spitzer (Spitzer, Arthur) (Entered: 12/12/2023)
2024-03-1122Joint STATUS REPORT by U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. (Duffey, Thomas) (Entered: 03/11/2024)
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