Consumers Union of the United States, Inc. and Public Citizen'S Health Research Group, Appellants, v. Consumer Product Safety Commission Et Al., 565 F.2d 721 (D.C. Cir. 1978)

Federal Circuits, D.C. Cir. (January 16, 1978)

Docket number: 75-2059


Permanent Link: http://vlex.com/vid/consumers-citizen-consumer-product-37637810
Id. vLex: VLEX-37637810

Click here to download this article in graphic format (Acrobat Reader)

Document language

Search in this document

Sponsored Ads:


Citations:

FeediconRSS What's this?

Cited by:

U.S. Supreme Court - GTE Sylvania, Inc. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc., 445 U.S. 375 (1980)

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Cir. - Gte Sylvania, Incorporated v. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Richard O. Simpson, Barbara Franklin, Lawrence Kushner, Constance Newman, R. David Pittle, Sadye Dunn, Vince Deluise. Rca Corporation v. United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, Richard O. Simpson, Barbara H. Franklin, Lawrence M. Kushner, Constance E. Newman, R. David Pittle, Sadye E. Dunn, and Vince Deluise. the Magnavox Company v. Richard O. Simpson, Chairman, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Barbara Franklin, Commissioner, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Lawrence Kushner, Commissioner, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Constance Newman, Commissioner, Consumer Product Safety Commission, R. David Pittle, Commissioner, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Sadye Dunn, Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and Vince Deluise, Freedom Information Officer, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Zenith Radio Corporation v. Richard O. Simpson, Chairman, Consumer Product Safety ..., 598 F.2d 790 (3rd Cir. 1979)

U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Cir. - Consumers Union of the United States, Inc. and Public Citizen'S Health Research Group, Appellants, v. Consumer Product Safety Commission Et Al., 590 F.2d 1209 (D.C. Cir. 1978)

Text:

PER CURIAM.

After considering the applications for rehearing filed by federal appellees, appellees Aeronutronic Ford Corporation, et al., appellees Admiral Corporation, et al., and appellee RCA Corporation, together with supporting memoranda, and appellants' response, it is

ORDERED by the court that the applications for rehearing are denied for the reasons stated in the attached per curiam.

PER CURIAM:

On June 14, 1974 appellants sought production of the documents in suit here under the Freedom of Information Act. Instead of producing the documents after determining that the Act required production, appellee Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notified intervenors of their intention to do so. Whereupon intervenors filed injunction proceedings against the CPSC in various District Courts, including the District of Delaware, seeking to prevent production. Subsequently, the District Court in Delaware issued a preliminary injunction precluding production. Later that court ordered the case closed with the preliminary injunction still pending.

This appeal is from the dismissal of appellants' FOIA case by the District Court here on the ground that no case or controversy existed since the CPSC agrees with appellants that the documents should be produced but is prevented from doing so by the preliminary injunction in the "closed" Delaware case. We reversed, holding that a case or controversy did indeed exist because CPSC continues to refuse to produce the documents.

Since our ruling we are advised that the Delaware case was marked "closed" for statistical reasons in that the case had been inactive for some time. Also, within a few days after our ruling, the Delaware case suddenly became active with a hearing in court, at which a date for trial on the merits was set. Appellants here, however, who have been attempting since 1974 to obtain production of the documents under FOIA, and against whom the Delaware litigation is directed, are not parties to the Delaware litigation. See Rule 19, Fed.R. Civ.P. Since all necessary parties are before the District Court here, there appears no reason why the litigation should not proceed here, particularly since this is the venue authorized by the FOIA. 5 U.S.C. § 552(a) (4)(B) (Supp. IV 1974).* Since the Act also provides that actions under it should be expedited, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(4)(D) (Supp. IV 1974), at long last so be it.

So ordered.

* It is noteworthy that the Department of Justice has moved to transfer the Delaware case to the District of Columbia

Sponsored Ads:




Activate your free trial now

Make your order

Need help? Contact us

Try vLex for FREE for 3 days

Access legal information from United States including:

  • Constitutions
  • Forms and Contracts
  • Legal Books and Journals
  • Case Law
  • News and Business
  • Regulations
  • U.S. Code

Try vLex without any commitment for 3 days and see why you need it.

3

days of Free Access