Court Decisions

Popov v. DHS, No. 23-09001, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 156788 (C.D. Cal. Aug. 30, 2024) (Birotte, Jr., J.)

Re: Request for records concerning third-party’s naturalization efforts

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

• Exemption 6: The court holds that “Defendant properly withheld the third party’s A-File records pursuant to...

Bahrampour v. NSA, No. 24-1202, 2024 WL 3983955 (4th Cir. Aug. 29, 2024) (per curiam)

Re:  Requests for certain records concerning requester

Disposition:  Affirming district court’s grant of government’s motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 1; Exemption 3; Procedural Requirements, Proper FOIA Requests:  “[The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has] reviewed the record and find[s] no reversible...

Louise Trauma Ctr. LLC v. USCIS, No. 23-1561, 2024 WL 3964761 (D. Md. Aug. 28, 2024) (Bennett, S.J.)

Re:  Requests concerning certain training and evaluation material

Disposition:  Granting in part and denying in part plaintiff’s motion for attorney fees and costs; awarding plaintiff $21,090 in attorney fees and $402 in costs

• Attorney Fees, Eligibility:  The court notes that “USCIS does not dispute...

Tower v. CBP, No. 23-204, 2024 WL 3967322 (D.D.C. Aug. 28, 2024) (Bates, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning CBP’s and plaintiff’s union’s actions after plaintiff resigned his union membership, specifically including certain third-party communications

Disposition:  Denying defendant’s motion for summary judgment; granting in part and denying in part plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment

• Exempti...

Jankowski v. CIA, No. 23-3111, 2024 WL 3937136 (D. Neb. Aug. 26, 2024) (Bataillon, S.J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff’s employment application

Disposition:  Following initial review of plaintiff’s complaint, allowing plaintiff to file amended complaint stating a plausible claim for relief under FOIA

• Litigation Considerations, Pleadings & Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies:  The...

Am. Wild Horse Campaign v. U.S. Bureau of Land Mgmt., No. 22-3061, 2024 WL 3967256 (D.D.C. Aug. 26, 2024) (Cooper, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning handling of plaintiff’s report on purported inhumane treatment of animals in defendant’s care

Disposition:  Denying plaintiff’s motion for attorney fees and costs

• Attorney Fees, Eligibility:  The court holds that “[plaintiff] has not met that...

Reclaim the Records v. U.S. Dep’t of State, No. 23-1529, 2024 WL 3938296 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 26, 2024) (Caproni, J.)

Re: Request for “‘the Index or finding aid to the Reports of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad’” from 1975 to present

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

• Litigation Considerations, Adequacy of Search:  The court...

Mullane v. DOJ, No. 23-1094, 2024 WL 3912197 (1st Cir. Aug. 23, 2024) (Montecalvo, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning the requester

Disposition:  Affirming district court’s grant of government’s motion for summary judgment

• Litigation Considerations, Evidentiary Showing, Adequacy of Search:  The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit holds that “DOJ conducted an adequate search for...

Jud. Watch, Inc. v. HHS, No. 22-3051, 2024 WL 3924563 (D.D.C. Aug. 23, 2024) (Friedrich, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning human fetal tissue collection

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

• Exemption 6:  The court holds that “NIH properly withheld the names and titles of the two signatories of [a] [l]etter...

Eakin v. DOD, No. 16-0972, 2024 WL 3952593 (W.D. Tex. Aug. 23, 2024) (Lamberth, J.)

Re:  Requests for “‘World War II era’” digitally scanned deceased personnel files

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion to dismiss; denying as moot defendant’s motion for partial summary judgment; denying as moot plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment

• Litigation Considerations, Mootness and Other...