Court Decisions

Sharpe v. Dep’t of the Navy, No. 25-01911, 2026 WL 2454257 (D.D.C. Aug. 21, 2026) (McFadden, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning apparent change to U.S. Naval Academy’s policy for providing copies of certain investigative reports to counsel for accused midshipmen

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 5, Attorney Work-Product, Deliberative Process Privilege...

Toalepai v. VA, No. 25-04052, 2026 WL 2453411 (D. Md. Aug. 21, 2026) (Gallagher, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning application to assume plaintiff’s VA-backed loan

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion to dismiss; denying remainder of defendant’s motion

• Litigation Considerations, Venue:  The court finds that “[t]he parties agree that Plaintiff could have brought suit in the District of...

Nat’l Pub. Radio, Inc. v. U.S. Agency for Glob. Media, No. 25-02965, 2026 WL 2454311 (D.D.C. Aug. 21, 2026) (McFadden, J.)

Re: Request for report confirming compliance with executive order directing U.S. Agency for Global Media to reduce operations

Disposition:  Granting defendants’ motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 5, Deliberative Process Privilege & Foreseeable Harm and Other Considerations: Th...

Johnson v. Dep’t of Corr., No. 25-1308, 2026 WL 2445275 (D. Conn. Aug. 20, 2026) (Nagala, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff’s legal mail

Disposition:  Dismissing plaintiff’s FOIA claim

• Procedural Requirements, Entities Subject to the FOIA:  The court relates that “[p]laintiff complains that he was not able to obtain documents or video footage due to [d]efendants’ noncompliance with the...

Secret v. FBI, No. 20-2175, 2026 WL 2449432 (D.D.C. Aug. 20, 2026) (Cobb, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning regarding deceased Ferguson, Missouri racial-justice activist

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

• Exemption 5, Deliberative Process Privilege, Attorney Work...

Leopold v. U.S. Dep’t of the Treasury, No. 17-01524, 2026 WL 2445386 (D.D.C. Aug. 19, 2026) (Mehta, J.)

Re: Requests for records concerning request made by Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service to Treasury for certain information about U.S. persons

Disposition:  Granting in part and denying in part plaintiffs’ motion for attorney fees and costs; awarding plaintiffs $26,285.81

• Attorney Fees...

Schmeling v. FBI, No. 25-1242, 2026 WL 2428214 (D.D.C. Aug. 19, 2026) (Chutkan, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff’s criminal case

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment

• Procedural Requirements, FOIA Requesters:  The court finds that “the record demonstrates that [p]laintiff ‘knowingly and voluntarily waived his FOIA rights when he signed the plea agreement.’” ...

Salaiz v. NARA, No. 25-00307, 2026 WL 2414758 (W.D. Tex. Aug. 18, 2026) (Schydlower, J.)

Re: Request for two copies of Zapruder film depicting assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Disposition:  Dismissing plaintiff’s claim

• Proactive Disclosures; Litigation Considerations, Standing:  The court finds that “NARA has not challenged Plaintiff’s standing, but federal courts ‘have an independent...

Becker v. Dep’t of the Navy, No. 24-152, 2026 WL 2350079 (D.D.C. Aug. 13, 2026) (Boasberg, C.J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff’s international homicide case

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

• Waiver and Discretionary Disclosure, Waiver:  “The Court...

Rodriguez v. FTC, No. 25-2401, 2026 WL 2349862 (D.D.C. Aug. 13, 2026) (Alikhan, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff, as well as several large social media companies

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

• Fees and Fee Waivers, Fee Waivers:  The court notes that “[t]he parties agree that [plaintiff’s] requested...