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Case TitleDefenders of Wildlife et al v. United States Forest Service
DistrictWestern District of Virginia
CityCharlottesville
Case Number3:2022cv00034
Date Filed2022-06-08
Date ClosedOpen
JudgeSenior Judge James P. Jones
PlaintiffDefenders of Wildlife
PlaintiffSouthern Environmental Law Center
Case DescriptionDefenders of Wildlife and the Southern Environmental Law Center submitted FOIA requests to U.S. Forest Service for records related to the agency's use of three categorical exclusions finalized in November 2020 and now codified in the Code of Federal Regulations. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told DOW that it interpreted the request as referring to records available on the agency's website. DOW argued that its request was broader, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, DOW and the Southern Environmental Law Center filed suit.
Complaint issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation - Attorney's fees, Adequacy - Search

DefendantUnited States Forest Service
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

2022-06-081COMPLAINT against United States Forest Service (Filing & Administrative fee $ 402 receipt number AVAWDC-3965933.), filed by Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Environmental Law Center. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit 1, # 2 Exhibit 2, # 3 Exhibit 3, # 4 Exhibit 4, # 5 Civil Cover Sheet)(dg) (Entered: 06/09/2022)
2022-06-082Negative Corporate Disclosure Statement by Defenders of Wildlife (dg) (Entered: 06/09/2022)
2022-06-083Negative Corporate Disclosure Statement by Southern Environmental Law Center (dg) (Entered: 06/09/2022)
2022-06-094Electronic Summons Issued as to United States Forest Service, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General. NOTICE TO COUNSEL: Please print copies of the electronically issued summons for each defendant as necessary to effectuate service under Fed. R. Civ. P. 4. (Attachments: # 1 Summons Issued, # 2 Summons Issued, # 3 Summons Issued)(dg)
2022-06-135MOTION for Henry Gargan to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Filing fee $ 100, receipt number AVAWDC-3968618. by Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Environmental Law Center. Motions referred to Judge Pamela Meade Sargent. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Gall, Spencer)
2022-06-136MOTION for J. Patrick Hunter to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Filing fee $ 100, receipt number AVAWDC-3968619. by Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Environmental Law Center. Motions referred to Judge Pamela Meade Sargent. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Gall, Spencer)
2022-06-137MOTION for Susannah Knox to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Filing fee $ 100, receipt number AVAWDC-3968621. by Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Environmental Law Center. Motions referred to Judge Pamela Meade Sargent. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Gall, Spencer)
2022-06-148ORDER granting 5 MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice Signed by US Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent on 06/14/2022. (dg)
2022-06-149ORDER granting 6 MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice Attorney James Patrick Hunter for Defenders of Wildlife,James Patrick Hunter for Southern Environmental Law Center added Signed by US Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent on 06/14/2022. (dg)
2022-06-1410ORDER granting 7 MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice Signed by US Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent on 06/14/2022. (dg)
2022-06-1411NOTICE of Appearance by James Patrick Hunter on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Hunter, James)
2022-06-1412NOTICE of Appearance by Susannah Knox on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Knox, Susannah)
2022-06-1413NOTICE of Appearance by Henry Gargan on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Gargan, Henry)
2022-07-0614Joint MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer by United States Forest Service. Motions referred to Judge Pamela Meade Sargent. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Bugbee, Sara)
2022-07-0615ORDER granting 14 Joint MOTION for Extension of Time to File Answer United States Forest Service answer due 7/28/2022. Signed by US Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent on 07/06/2022. (dg)
2022-07-0716AFFIDAVIT of Service for Complaint served on United States Forest Service, Randy Moore, Merrick Garland, Christopher Kavanaugh on June 9, 2022, filed by Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Environmental Law Center. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit, # 4 Exhibit)(Gall, Spencer)
2022-07-2817Joint MOTION to Proceed by Quarterly Joint Status Report by United States Forest Service. Motions referred to Judge Pamela Meade Sargent. (Bugbee, Sara)
2022-08-0118ORDER granting 17 Joint MOTION to Proceed by Quarterly Joint Status Report. Signed by US Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent on 08/01/2022. (am) (Main Document 18 replaced on 8/1/2022 to correct docketing error) (am).
2022-08-1919NOTICE of Appearance by Justin Michael Lugar on behalf of United States Forest Service (Lugar, Justin)
2022-08-2620MOTION to Substitute Attorney by United States Forest Service. Motions referred to Judge Pamela Meade Sargent. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Lugar, Justin)
2022-08-2921ORDER granting 20 Motion to Substitute Attorney. Added attorney Justin Michael Lugar for United States Forest Service. Attorney Sara Kay Bugbee terminated Signed by US Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent on 8/29/22. (ejs)
2022-10-1422STATUS REPORT by United States Forest Service (Lugar, Justin)
2023-01-1723STATUS REPORT by United States Forest Service (Lugar, Justin)
2023-04-1724STATUS REPORT - Joint Quarterly Status Report by United States Forest Service (Lugar, Justin)
2023-07-1725STATUS REPORT (Joint Quarterly Report) by United States Forest Service (Lugar, Justin)
2023-09-2926MOTION to Withdraw as Attorney Susannah Knox by Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Environmental Law Center. Motions referred to Judge Pamela Meade Sargent. (Attachments: # 1 Text of Proposed Order)(Hunter, James)
2023-09-2927ORDER granting 26 Motion to Withdraw as Attorney. Attorney Susannah Knox terminated. Signed by US Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent on 9/29/2023. (flc)
2023-10-1828STATUS REPORT - Joint Quarterly Status Report by United States Forest Service (Lugar, Justin)
2024-01-1729STATUS REPORT - Joint Status Report by United States Forest Service (Lugar, Justin)
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by FOIA Project Staff
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