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Case TitleSPARACINO PLLC v. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DistrictDistrict of Columbia
CityWashington, DC
Case Number1:2022cv01031
Date Filed2022-04-13
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeJudge Randolph D. Moss
PlaintiffSPARACINO PLLC
Case DescriptionThe law firm of Sparacino, PLLC which represents U.S. military veterans and their families who were killed or injured in Iraq because for support for terrorism by Iran, submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the deaths of 12 identified civilian government contractors and 286 military servicemembers in Iraq from 2003 to 2017. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Sparacino, PLLC filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy - Search, Litigation - Vaughn index, Litigation - Attorney's fees

DefendantDEPARTMENT OF STATE
DefendantDEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Legal Advisor
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
User-contributed Documents
 
Docket Events (Hide)
Date FiledDoc #Docket Text

2022-04-131COMPLAINT for Violation of the Freedom of Information Act against DEPARTMENT OF STATE ( Filing fee $ 402 receipt number ADCDC-9168895) filed by SPARACINO PLLC. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons to Department of State, # 3 Summons to United States Attorney General, # 4 Summons to Civil Process Clerk - United States Attorney's Office, # 5 Exhibit 1 to Complaint, # 6 Exhibit 2 to Complaint, # 7 Exhibit 3 to Complaint, # 8 Exhibit 4 to Complaint, # 9 Exhibit 5 to Complaint, # 10 Exhibit 6 to Complaint, # 11 Exhibit 7 to Complaint, # 12 Exhibit 8 to Complaint)(Reddick, Nicholas) (Entered: 04/13/2022)
2022-04-132LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by SPARACINO PLLC (Reddick, Nicholas) (Entered: 04/13/2022)
2022-04-15Case Assigned to Judge Randolph D. Moss. (zmh) (Entered: 04/15/2022)
2022-04-153SUMMONS (3) Issued Electronically as to DEPARTMENT OF STATE, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachment: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmh) (Entered: 04/15/2022)
2022-04-154STANDING 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 4/15/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 04/15/2022)
2022-05-175RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. DEPARTMENT OF STATE served on 4/25/2022 (Attachments: # 1 Proof of Service)(Reddick, Nicholas) (Entered: 05/17/2022)
2022-05-176RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 04/19/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Proof of Service)(Reddick, Nicholas) (Entered: 05/17/2022)
2022-05-177RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 4/19/2022. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 5/19/2022. (Attachments: # 1 Proof of Service)(Reddick, Nicholas) (Entered: 05/17/2022)
2022-05-178NOTICE of Appearance by Devin Charles Ringger on behalf of SPARACINO PLLC (Ringger, Devin) (Entered: 05/17/2022)
2022-05-179NOTICE of Appearance by Timothy Ryan on behalf of SPARACINO PLLC (Ryan, Timothy) (Entered: 05/17/2022)
2022-05-1910NOTICE of Appearance by Sian Jones on behalf of All Defendants (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 05/19/2022)
2022-05-1911ANSWER to Complaint by DEPARTMENT OF STATE.(Jones, Sian) (Entered: 05/19/2022)
2022-05-20MINUTE ORDER: It is hereby ORDERED that, on or before June 10, 2022, 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 by video for an Initial Scheduling Conference on June 17, 2022, at 2:30 p.m before Judge Randolph D. Moss. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 5/20/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 05/20/2022)
2022-06-1012Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 06/10/2022)
2022-06-10MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 12 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before August 9, 2022. It is further ORDERED that the Initial Scheduling Conference set for June 17, 2022, is hereby VACATED. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 6/10/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 06/10/2022)
2022-08-0913Joint STATUS REPORT by SPARACINO PLLC. (Reddick, Nicholas) (Entered: 08/09/2022)
2022-08-10MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 13 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before September 8, 2022. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 08/10/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 08/10/2022)
2022-09-0814Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 09/08/2022)
2022-09-08MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 14 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before October 10, 2022. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 09/08/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 09/08/2022)
2022-10-0715Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 10/07/2022)
2022-10-09MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 15 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before November 7, 2022. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 10/9/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 10/09/2022)
2022-11-0716Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 11/07/2022)
2022-11-07MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 16 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before December 7, 2022. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 11/7/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 11/07/2022)
2022-12-0717Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 12/07/2022)
2022-12-08MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 17 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before January 6, 2023. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 12/8/2022. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 12/08/2022)
2023-01-0618Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 01/06/2023)
2023-01-11MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 18 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before February 10, 2023. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 1/11/2023. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 01/11/2023)
2023-02-1019Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 02/10/2023)
2023-02-10MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 19 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before March 10, 2023. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 2/10/2023. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 02/10/2023)
2023-03-1020Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/10/2023)
2023-03-12MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 20 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before May 12, 2023. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 3/12/2023. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 03/12/2023)
2023-05-1221Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 05/12/2023)
2023-05-14MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 21 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before July 14, 2023. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 5/14/2023. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 05/14/2023)
2023-07-1222Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 07/12/2023)
2023-07-13MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 22 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before September 12, 2023. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 7/13/2023. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 07/13/2023)
2023-08-3123NOTICE of Appearance by Stephen DeGenaro on behalf of DEPARTMENT OF STATE (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 08/31/2023)
2023-09-1224Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 09/12/2023)
2023-09-13MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 24 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before November 13, 2023. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 9/13/2023. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 09/13/2023)
2023-11-1325Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 11/13/2023)
2023-11-14MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 25 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before January 12, 2024. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 11/14/2023. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 11/14/2023)
2023-11-14Set/Reset Deadlines: Joint Status Report due by 1/12/2024 (zglw) (Entered: 12/26/2023)
2024-01-1226Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (DeGenaro, Stephen) (Entered: 01/12/2024)
2024-01-18MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 26 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before March 12, 2024. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 1/18/2024. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 01/18/2024)
2024-03-1227Joint STATUS REPORT by DEPARTMENT OF STATE. (Jones, Sian) (Entered: 03/12/2024)
2024-03-12MINUTE ORDER: Upon consideration of the parties' joint status report, Dkt. 27 , it is hereby ORDERED that the parties shall file a further joint status report on or before May 13, 2024. Signed by Judge Randolph D. Moss on 3/12/2024. (lcrdm1) (Entered: 03/12/2024)
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