Court Decisions

Heritage Found. v. DOJ, No. 24-645, 2026 WL 1766549 (D.D.C. June 19, 2026) (Friedrich, J.)

Re: Request for certain records from Special Counsel Robert K. Hur’s investigation of former President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

Disposition:  Denying intervenor’s motion for preliminary injunction

• Reverse FOIA; Exemption 6; Exemption 7(C):  The court relates that “[plaintiffs] bring this action under the [FOIA] for...

Appeal, Inc. v. U.S. DOJ’s Off. of Just. Programs, No. 22-02111, 2026 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136584 (C.D. Cal. June 17, 2026) (Hsu, J.)

Re: Requests for records concerning death-in-custody data

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for relief from judgment; vacating prior order

• Exemption 3:  The court relates that “[o]n October 15, 2024, the Court concluded that ‘Exemption 3 applies to Plaintiffs’...

Wild Horse Educ. v. U.S. Dep’t of Interior, No. 25-00152, 2026 WL 1759573 (D. Nev. June 17, 2026) (Du, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy (“CAWP”)

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion to dismiss

• Litigation Considerations, Mootness and Other Grounds for Dismissal:  The court finds that “[t]his case is moot.”  “Defendant has met its burden of demonstrating...

Simmons v. U.S. Dep’t of State, No. 25-5176, 2026 WL 1724592 (D.C. Cir. June 15, 2026) (per curiam)

Re: Requests for records concerning requester

Disposition:  Affirming district court’s denial of requester’s motion for attorney fees and costs

• Attorney Fees, Eligibility:  The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit holds that “the record supports the district court’s conclusion that...

Am. First Legal Found. v. CDC, No. 22-00978, 2026 WL 1723917 (D.D.C. June 15, 2026) (Mehta, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning “efforts to ‘flag COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccine related “misinformation” or “disinformation”’ on social media, including any communications with social media companies”

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

Stevens v. DOJ, No. 24-3215, 2026 WL 1702523 (7th Cir. June 12, 2026) (Alexakis, J.) 

Re: Requests for records concerning third parties, as well as for records concerning FOIA operations

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

• Litigation Considerations:  “As a threshold matter, [the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit] decide[s] the scope of the...

Lambi v. United States, No. 26-101, 2026 WL 1683469 (D. Neb. June 10, 2026) (Carson, Mag. J.)

Re: Motion seeking order compelling each named federal agency to produce every record referencing plaintiff

Disposition:  Denying plaintiff’s motion

• Litigation Considerations:  The court finds that “a FOIA challenge must be brought as a separate lawsuit.”  “Plaintiff cannot initiate a FOIA enforcement action...

Robinson v. Whole Foods Mkt., Inc., No. 26-00545, 2026 WL 1662384 (D. Or. June 9, 2026) (Baggio, J.)

Re: Request for records regarding plaintiff’s employment claims

Disposition:  Dismissing plaintiff’s amended complaint with leave to amend

• Litigation Considerations, Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies:  The court finds that, “[h]ere, Plaintiff pleads that Defendant EEOC ‘close[d] [Plaintiff’s]...

Carter v. DOJ, No. 26-920, 2026 WL 1623065 (D.D.C. June 5, 2026) (Boasberg, C.J.)

Re: Request for records concerning tips or complaints submitted to defendant during specific time period

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment

• Litigation Considerations, Evidentiary Showing, Adequacy of Search:  The court finds that “[defendant’s] declarations describe the extensive steps that...

Byrne v. NSA, No. 20-08433, 2026 WL 1611872 (N.D. Cal. June 4, 2026) (Breyer, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning two Vietnam War operations, Operation Gauntlet and Operation Tailwind

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

• Litigation Considerations, Adequacy of Search:  The court finds that “NSA’s search satisfies the...