Case: Institute for Applied Ecology v. Burgum

6:25-cv-02364 | U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon

Filed Date: Dec. 18, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

(This summary is temporary while we research the case.)

On December 18, 2025, Plaintiffs - three 501(c)(3) environmental organizations - brought this lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior and several other federal land use departments in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Plaintiffs sought to challenge the cancellation of their grants under DEI pretenses. Filing under the First and Fifth Amendments, they sought a declaration vacating Defendants’ terminations of Plaintiffs’ grants, as well as injunctive relief barring Plaintiffs from withholding federal funding on the basis of
Plaintiffs’ protected speech and viewpoints.

This case is ongoing.

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72058106/parties/institute-for-applied-ecology-v-burgum/


Attorney for Plaintiff

Bressler, Steven Y. (Oregon)

Henderson, Cortney Robinson (Oregon)

Sortun, Anna (Oregon)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

6:25-cv-02364

Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

Complaint

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72058106/institute-for-applied-ecology-v-burgum/

Last updated Jan. 8, 2026, 12:42 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

Complaint. for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief Filing fee in the amount of $405 collected. Agency Tracking ID: BORDC-10103544 Filer is subject to the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 7.1. Jury Trial Requested: No. Filed by The Institute for Bird Populations, Institute for Applied Ecology, Mid Klamath Watershed Council against All Defendants. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

Clearinghouse
2

Civil Cover Sheet regarding Complaint, 1 . Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

3

Proposed Summons Bureau of Land Management Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

4

Proposed Summons Doug Burgum Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

5

Proposed Summons U.S. Department of the Interior Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

6

Proposed Summons National Park Service Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

7

Proposed Summons Bureau of Land Management Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

8

Proposed Summons U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

9

Proposed Summons U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

10

Proposed Summons U.S. Geological Survey Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

11

Proposed Summons U.S. Department of Justice Filed by All Plaintiffs. (Sortun, Anna) (Entered: 12/18/2025)

Dec. 18, 2025

Dec. 18, 2025

12

Notice of Case Assignment to Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter and Discovery and Pretrial Scheduling Order. NOTICE: The filing party shall print and serve this Order, the summonses, and all other documents issued by the Clerk at case initiation upon all named parties in accordance with Local Rule 3-5(c). Discovery is to be completed by 4/20/2026. Joint Alternate Dispute Resolution Report is due by 5/18/2026. Pretrial Order is due by 5/18/2026. Ordered by Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. (jw) (Entered: 12/19/2025)

Dec. 19, 2025

Dec. 19, 2025

13

Summons Issued Electronically as to All Defendants. NOTICE: The filing party shall print and serve the summonses and all other documents issued by the Clerk at the time of case initiation upon all named parties in accordance with Local Rule 3-5(c). (Attachments: # 1 Summons Doug Burgum, # 2 Summons National Park Service, # 3 Summons U.S. Geological Survey, # 4 Summons US Department Interior, # 5 Summons US Fish and Wildlife Services) (jw) (Entered: 12/19/2025)

Dec. 19, 2025

Dec. 19, 2025

14

Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Steven Y. Bressler. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106694. Steven Y. Bressler,Steven Y. Bressler for Institute for Bird Populations,Steven Y. Bressler for Institute for Applied Ecology,Steven Y. Bressler for Mid Klamath Watershed Council. Filed by on behalf of Institute for Bird Populations, Institute for Applied Ecology, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Bressler, Steven) (Entered: 12/22/2025)

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

15

Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Cortney Robinson Henderson. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106993. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/22/2025)

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

16

ORDER: Granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 14 ; Granting Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice 15 . Ordered by Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. (ck) (Entered: 12/22/2025)

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice AND Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

Clerks Review of Pro Hac Vice Motion

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

Clerk's Review of Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Steven Y. Bressler. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106694 14 : Reviewed and Ready for Ruling. (jw)

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

Clerk's Review of Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice. Pro Hac Vice admission requested by attorney Cortney Robinson Henderson. Filing fee in the amount of $300 collected; Agency Tracking ID: AORDC-10106993 15 : Reviewed and Ready for Ruling. (jw)

Dec. 22, 2025

Dec. 22, 2025

17

Motion for Preliminary Injunction . Oral Argument requested. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

18

Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 is referred to Judge McShane. Ordered by Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. (ck) (Entered: 12/23/2025)

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

19

Declaration of T. Kaye in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Related document(s): Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 .) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G, # 8 Exhibit H) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

20

Declaration of R. Siegel in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Related document(s): Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 .) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

21

Declaration of W. Harling in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. Filed by Institute for Applied Ecology, Institute for Bird Populations, Mid Klamath Watershed Council. (Related document(s): Motion for Preliminary Injunction 17 .) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F, # 7 Exhibit G) (Henderson, Cortney) (Entered: 12/23/2025)

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

Motion Referred to District Judge

Dec. 23, 2025

Dec. 23, 2025

22

Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Jan. 5, 2026

Jan. 5, 2026

Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Jan. 6, 2026

Jan. 6, 2026

Clerks Review of Pro Hac Vice Motion

Jan. 6, 2026

Jan. 6, 2026

Case Details

State / Territory:

Oregon

Case Type(s):

Environmental Justice

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Dec. 18, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

District of Oregon 6:25-cv-02364

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket