Note: The Brennan Center is not a participant in this case.
Summary
The Campaign Legal Center filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act to compel the Department of Justice to release documents related to its request to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.
This case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Case Background
The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is suing the United States Department of Justice under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to compel production of records concerning the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. On December 12, 2017, the Department of Justice formally requested the Commerce Department to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census.
The plaintiffs are asking the court for injunctive and other appropriate relief to compel the Department of Justice to disclose the requested records.
On June 1, 2020, the court granted in part and denied in part the defendant’s motion for summary judgment and granted in part and denied in part the plaintiff’s cross motion for summary judgement.
On July 31, 2020, the defendants partially appealed this decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Circuit Court heard oral argument on September 15, 2021. Its decision is still pending.
Meanwhile, in the District Court, the parties renewed their cross motions for summary judgment in late 2021. The court’s ruling on those motions is still pending.
Documents
- Complaint (July 30, 2018)
- Answer to Complaint (August 30, 2018)
- Joint Status Report (September 28, 2018)
- Joint Status Report (February 15, 2019)
- Joint Status Report (April 5, 2019)
- Motion for Summary Judgment (May 8, 2019)
- Plaintiffs’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (May 22, 2019)
- Reply in Support of Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition to Plaintiff’s Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (June 5, 2019)
- Reply in Support of Plaintiffs’ Cross Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (June 12, 2019)
- Opinion (June 1, 2020)
- Motion for Stay (November 2, 2020)
- Defendant’s Reply (November 23, 2020)
- Order (May 5, 2021)
- Joint Status Report (June 21, 2021)
- Joint Status Report (July 12, 2021)
- Joint Status Report (July 21, 2021)
- Renewed Motion for Summary Judgement (September 17, 2021)
- Plaintiff’s Renewed Cross-Motion for Summary Judgement and Opposition to Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgement (November 2, 2021)
- Defendant’s Opposition to Plaintiff’s Renewed Cross-Motion for Summary Judgement and Reply in Support of Defendant’s Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment (December 1, 2021)
- Plaintiff’s Reply in Support of its Renewed Cross-Motion for Summary Judgement (December 20, 2021)
U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia (Case No. 20–5233)
- Notice of Appeal (August 4, 2020)
- Statement of Issues (September 8, 2020)
- Brief for Appellant (February 12, 2021)
- Brief for Appellees (April 9, 2021)
- Appellant Reply Brief (May 7, 2021)
- Order (June 28, 2021)