JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, No. 1:2011cv00604 - Document 16 (D.D.C. 2012)

Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER. For the reasons set forth herein, DHS's [12/13] Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED-IN-PART and DENIED-IN-PART. Specifically, the motion is GRANTED insofar as it seeks a ruling that information has been appropr iately withheld from DHS0201-0202, DHS0203-0235, and DHS0236-0237 on the basis of the work product doctrine. Meanwhile, the motion is DENIED insofar as it seeks a ruling that information has been appropriately withheld from (a) DHS0010, DHS0031-0035 , DHS0053-0054, DHS0057, DHS0058-0059, DHS0062, DHS0063, DHS0064, DHS0065-0066, DHS0067-0068, DHS0069, DHS0070-0071, DHS0080-0081, DHS0082, DHS0085, DHS0093, and DHS0112 on the basis of the attorney-client privilege; (b) DHS0010, DHS0031-0035, DHS005 3-0054, DHS0057, DHS0058-0059, DHS0062, DHS0063, DHS0064, DH0065-0066, DHS0067-0068, DHS0069, DHS0070-0071, DHS0080-0081, DHS0082, DHS0085, DHS0093, and DHS0112 on the basis of the work product doctrine; and (c) DHS0030, DHS0031-0035, DHS0046, DHS005 3-0054, DHS0056, DHS0057, DHS0063, DHS0064, DHS0065-0066, DHS0067-0068, DHS0069, DHS0070-0071, DHS0080-0081, DHS0082, DHS0085, DHS0093, and DHS0112 on the basis of the deliberative process privilege. The Court shall afford DHS a FINAL opportunity to discharge its burden of establishing the applicability of the remaining claimed privileges to the information withheld from Judicial Watch. The parties shall promptly meet and confer and, by no later than February 8, 2012, file a Joint Status Repor t proposing a schedule for further proceedings, which shall include, at a minimum, proposed deadlines for DHS's production of a revised Vaughn Index and agency declaration and for the briefing of a renewed motion for summary judgment. Signed by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on January 27, 2012. (lcckk3)