Court Decisions

Louise Trauma Ctr. LLC v. DOJ, No. 20-3517, 2024 WL 4227635 (D.D.C. Sept. 18, 2024) (Contreras, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning agency’s handling of FOIA’s foreseeable harm requirement and related training for asylum officers

Disposition:  Granting in part and denying in part plaintiff’s motion for attorney fees; awarding plaintiff $49,465.61 in attorney fees, $10,000.00 in fees-on-fees, and...

Sarras v. DOJ, No. 19-0861, 2024 WL 4227717 (D.D.C. Sept. 18, 2024) (Cooper, J.)

Re:  Requests for records concerning plaintiff

Disposition:  Granting in part defendant’s motion for summary judgment; denying in part plaintiff’s cross-motion for summary judgment

• Litigation Considerations, Vaughn Index/Declaration:  The court relates that “[a]s a threshold matter, [plaintiff] claims that DOJ’s latest V...

Hymas v. U.S. Dep’t of Interior, No. 20-5036, 2024 WL 4217917 (E.D. Wash. Sept. 17, 2024) (Dimke, J.)

Re: Plaintiff’s alleged FOIA requests

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion to dismiss

• Litigation Considerations, Pleadings & Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies:  The court finds that “Plaintiff's FOIA claim fails to allege when his FOIA requests were sent, where he sent his requests, what...

Biddle v. DOD, No. 23-1380, 2024 WL 4188510 (D.D.C. September 13, 2024) (Kelly, J.)

Re:  Request for “‘records pertaining to Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team’s use of Google technology, software or hardware,’” from January 1, 2017 to March 6, 2018

Disposition:  Denying defendant’s motion for summary judgment; denying plaintiff’s cross-motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 3: The court...

Khan v. DHS, No. 22-2480, 2024 WL 4164644 (D.D.C. Sept. 12, 2024) (Kelly, J.)

Re: Requests concerning incident that occurred in January 2021 when plaintiff and his brother were detained at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion to dismiss or strike; striking plaintiffs’ amended complaint; allowing plaintiffs’ final opportunity to file proper complaint

• Litiga...

Wonders v. Dep’t of the Army Off. of the Gen. Couns., No. 23-02770, 2024 WL 4144119 (D.D.C. Sept. 11, 2024) (McFadden, J.)

Re:  Request for legal memorandum concerning Army’s revocation of plaintiff’s security clearance

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment; denying plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment

• Litigation Considerations:  The court first notes that “[t]he Army...

Corbett v. TSA, No. 23-55713, 2024 WL 4128829 (9th Cir. Sept. 10, 2024) (Christen, J.)

Re:  Requests for records concerning creation or maintenance of “MyTSA” mobile applications, as well as two separate alleged incidents involving TSA personnel

Disposition:  Vacating district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s claims; remanding case

• Litigation Considerations, Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: ...

McCarthy v. DOJ, No. 24-4501, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 165608 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 10, 2024) (Taylor Swain, C.J.)

Re: Request for records concerning specific criminal case

Disposition:  Transferring case to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

• Litigation Considerations, Venue:  The court finds that “[v]enue of Plaintiff’s FOIA claim does not appear to be proper in this...

Reclaim the Records v. U.S. Dep’t of State, No. 23-1650, 2024 WL 4123416 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 9, 2024) (Cronan, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning deceased passport holders

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment; denying plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment

• Procedural Requirements, Searching for Responsive Records; Litigation Requirements, Evidentiary Showing, Adequacy of...

Clean Air Council v. U.S. Dep’t of the Interior, No. 22-2741, 2024 WL 4111047 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 6, 2024) (Hodge, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning contractor’s work conducting engineering or feasibility studies on replacing heating systems in certain historic buildings

Disposition:  Denying defendants’ motion for summary judgment; denying submitters/intervenors’ motion for summary judgment...