Filed Date: Dec. 13, 2007
Closed Date: 2008
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On December 13, 2007, the United Farm Workers and Farmworker Justice, two worker advocacy groups, filed this lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). They filed under the Freedom of Information Act in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the case was assigned to Judge Henry H. Kennedy. The plaintiffs, represented by the Public Citizen Litigation Group and Farmworker Justice sought declaratory and injunctive relief. Specifically, they requested that their document requests be fulfilled without delay or cost and that the defendant's failure to produce these documents previously be declared as unlawful. The plaintiffs alleged that the DOL failed to release public information about employers who had used the H-2A visa program to hire foreign guest workers instead of U.S. workers. The plaintiffs wrote that they had made 7 separate FOIA requests, some nearly a year ago, which the DOL had either ignored or responded to in a deficient manner. The plaintiffs alleged that the FOIA requests were made in order to uncover documents which they believe will show employer abuses in the H-2A program.
On February 8, 2008, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint after the DOL identified 32,809 documents that would fulfill the plaintiffs sixth and seventh FOIA requests but refused to produce them without reproduction costs of $723.50. The amended complaint reiterated their request for the documents without cost. On March 10, 2008, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction and a motion for summary judgment, which was answered by the plaintiffs' cross-motion for summary judgment on April 11, 2008.
Before the court decided on these motions, the plaintiffs filed a status report on July 18, 2008. The report stated that the DOL had produced documents in response to all 7 FOIA requests to the plaintiffs' satisfaction, and also granted fee waivers for all requests. The report concluded that all matters had settled except for attorneys' fees and costs. The defendants entered a stipulation of settlement paying attorneys' fees and voluntary dismissal on September 5, 2008, which was accepted by the Court on September 11, 2008. The case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Dan Dalton (12/21/2007)
Carter Powers Beggs (10/23/2019)
For PACER's information on parties and their attrorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4208664/parties/united-farm-workers-v-department-of-labor/
Kennedy, Henry Harold Jr. (District of Columbia)
Contreras, Rudolph (District of Columbia)
Goldstein, Bruce Nevin (District of Columbia)
Kirkpatrick, Michael T (District of Columbia)
Rosenbaum, Adina H. (District of Columbia)
Ruiz, Virginia (District of Columbia)
Taylor, Jeff (District of Columbia)
Willenson, Marni (District of Columbia)
Johnson, Michelle Nicole (District of Columbia)
Kennedy, Henry Harold Jr. (District of Columbia)
Contreras, Rudolph (District of Columbia)
Goldstein, Bruce Nevin (District of Columbia)
Kirkpatrick, Michael T (District of Columbia)
Rosenbaum, Adina H. (District of Columbia)
Ruiz, Virginia (District of Columbia)
Taylor, Jeff (District of Columbia)
Willenson, Marni (District of Columbia)
Johnson, Michelle Nicole (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4208664/united-farm-workers-v-department-of-labor/
Last updated March 14, 2023, 3:09 a.m.
State / Territory: District of Columbia
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Dec. 13, 2007
Closing Date: 2008
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
United Farm Workers and Farmworker Justice, two worker advocacy groups
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Amount Defendant Pays: 60,000
Content of Injunction:
Issues
General:
Immigration/Border: