Court Decisions Overview
Each year the federal courts issue hundreds of decisions in FOIA cases, addressing all aspects of the law. These decisions shape the way the law is interpreted and applied by the many attorneys and access professionals across the government who handle FOIA requests, administrative appeals, and litigation. To aid those professionals, and to facilitate greater understanding of the FOIA overall, OIP posts summaries of FOIA decisions to this website.
Although we have designed these summaries to reflect the key aspects of each decision, by their nature these are summaries only, and such things as internal citations and quotations have been omitted. Our goal is to provide readers with an overview of the cases as they are decided during the year, but for a complete understanding of any given case readers are, of course, encouraged to read it in its entirety.
Using the Court Decisions Page
This website includes decisions decided since January 2013. Summaries of decisions decided between May 2009 and December 2012 are available in the Court Decisions Archive. All decisions are presented chronologically, based on the date of issuance, with the most recent decision appearing first. Each decision is tagged topically with the relevant exemption or procedural consideration addressed.
You can view all decisions tagged with a particular topic or court by using the “Topic” drop down menu. For example, to see all cases where Exemption 5 is addressed, select “Exemption 5.”
You can search through each decision summary for keywords or phrases using the “Keyword Search” feature. For example, to see all cases with a particular term, such as “e-mail” or “affirming,” you can type in the term or phrase to retrieve all court decision summaries where it appears. You can also use this feature to locate decisions from a particular court by searching for the court acronym, such as “D.C. Cir” for all decisions from the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Huddleston v. FBI, No. 20-00447, 2023 WL 8260881 (E.D. Tex. Nov. 29, 2023) (Mazzant, J.)
Huddleston v. FBI, No. 20-00447, 2023 WL 8260881 (E.D. Tex. Nov. 29, 2023) (Mazzant, J.)
Re: Request for records concerning deceased 27-year-old Democratic National Committee employee
Disposition: Denying plaintiff’s motion to permit counsel to view evidence
- Litigation Considerations, In Camera Inspection: The court relates that “[t]he FBI submitted an FD-302 document for in camera, ex...
Basey v. Reardon, No. 23-00124, 2023 WL 8236988 (D. Alaska Nov. 28, 2023) (Kindred, J.)
Basey v. Reardon, No. 23-00124, 2023 WL 8236988 (D. Alaska Nov. 28, 2023) (Kindred, J.)
Re: Request for certain records concerning plaintiff’s prosecution
Disposition: Granting plaintiff leave to amend complaint
- Litigation Considerations, Pleadings: The court finds that, “[l]iberally construed, Plaintiff is able to state facts to allege a plausible claim regarding his new FOIA request...
Huddleston v. FBI, No. 20-00447, 2023 WL 8235243 (E.D. Tex. Nov. 28, 2023) (Mazzant, J.)
Huddleston v. FBI, No. 20-00447, 2023 WL 8235243 (E.D. Tex. Nov. 28, 2023) (Mazzant, J.)
Re: Request for records concerning deceased 27-year-old Democratic National Committee employee
Disposition: Denying defendant’s motion for clarification, or in the alternative, reconsideration; granting in part and denying in part plaintiff’s motion for clarification
- Litigation Considerations...
Cohen v. United States, No. 23-8099, 2023 WL 8188424 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 27, 2023) (Swain, C.J.)
Cohen v. United States, No. 23-8099, 2023 WL 8188424 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 27, 2023) (Swain, C.J.)
Re: Requests for records concerning plaintiff
Disposition: Transferring plaintiff’s FOIA claims to the District Court for the District of Columbia
- Litigation Considerations, Venue: “The Court concludes that venue for Plaintiff’s FOIA claims is proper in the District of Columbia.” “First...
Jud. Watch, Inc. v. DOJ, No. 22-1034, 2023 WL 8190820 (D.D.C. Nov. 27, 2023) (Howell, J.)
Jud. Watch, Inc. v. DOJ, No. 22-1034, 2023 WL 8190820 (D.D.C. Nov. 27, 2023) (Howell, J.)
Re: Request for communications between FBI officials and New York Times (“NYT”) regarding FBI’s execution of search warrants on November 4 and 6, 2021, at homes of employee and of founder of Project Veritas, a “‘a non-profit non-governmental organization headquartered in Mamaroneck, New York’”
Disposit...
Brown v. Regan, No. 23-03328, 2023 WL 8190734 (D.D.C. Nov. 22, 2023) (Reyes, J.)
Brown v. Regan, No. 23-03328, 2023 WL 8190734 (D.D.C. Nov. 22, 2023) (Reyes, J.)
Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff
Disposition: Dismissing plaintiff’s complaint without prejudice
- Litigation Considerations, Pleadings: The court holds that “Plaintiff . . . seeks to sue only defendants that are immune from damages claims and cannot state a claim under the FOIA.” “Plaintiff...
Sherven v. United States, No. 23-02977, 2023 WL 8190822 (D.D.C. Nov. 22, 2023) (Reyes, J.)
Sherven v. United States, No. 23-02977, 2023 WL 8190822 (D.D.C. Nov. 22, 2023) (Reyes, J.)
Re: Plaintiff’s alleged FOIA requests against backdrop of his claims of “alleged mind-control program”
Disposition: Dismissing plaintiff’s complaint without prejudice
- Litigation Considerations, Pleadings: The court holds that “Plaintiff's complaint does not contain sufficient facts to state a...
Thompson v. DOJ, No. 23-69, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 208763 (W.D.N.C. Nov. 21, 2023) (Cogburn, Jr., J.)
Thompson v. DOJ, No. 23-69, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 208763 (W.D.N.C. Nov. 21, 2023) (Cogburn, Jr., J.)
Re: Requests for records concerning plaintiff’s former employment
Disposition: Granting joint motion to dismiss with prejudice
- Litigation Considerations: “This matter comes before the Court on the Joint Motion to Dismiss of Defendant U.S. Department of Justice and pro se Plaintiff . ....
Hall & Assocs. v. EPA, No. 18-1749, 2023 WL 7928765 (D.D.C. Nov. 16, 2023) (Moss, J.)
Hall & Assocs. v. EPA, No. 18-1749, 2023 WL 7928765 (D.D.C. Nov. 16, 2023) (Moss, J.)
Re: Request for records concerning EPA’s regulation of water treatment practice known as blending against the background of Eighth Circuit Decision impacting EPA’s practice in that circuit
Disposition: Denying plaintiff’s motion for attorney fees and costs
- Attorney Fees, Eligibility: “[T]he Court is...
Marker v. Cardona, No. 23-05873, 2023 WL 8007109 (N.D. Cal. Nov. 16, 2023) (Corley, J.)
Marker v. Cardona, No. 23-05873, 2023 WL 8007109 (N.D. Cal. Nov. 16, 2023) (Corley, J.)
Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff’s student loans
Disposition: Dismissing plaintiff’s compliant with leave to amend
- Litigation Considerations, Pleadings: First, the court holds that “‘[i]ndividual officials are not proper defendants in a FOIA action.’” “So, the Court dismisses Plaintiff...