Court Decisions

Louise Trauma Ctr., LLC v. ICE, No. 20-3787, 2026 WL 2279955 (D.D.C. August 7, 2026) (Chutkan, J.)

Re: Request for instructions, training material, and guidance that agency gives to immigration court prosecutors

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

• Litigation Considerations, Evidentiary Showing, Adequacy...

Asbestos Disease Awareness Ass’n v. Nat’l Park Serv., No. 26-29, 2026 WL 2267810 (D.D.C. Aug. 6, 2026) (Leon, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning asbestos removal during October 2025 demolition of White House East Wing

Disposition:  Granting plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment; granting in part and denying in part defendants’ partial motion to dismiss, and denying plaintiff’s...

Ellawendy v. Driscoll, No. 25-5661, 2026 WL 2255444 (9th Cir. Aug. 5, 2026) (per curiam)

Re: Request for records concerning requester’s resignation

Disposition:  Affirming district court’s dismissal of requester’s FOIA claim

• Litigation Considerations, Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies:  The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit holds that “[t]he district court correctly dismissed [the requester...

Am. Oversight v. DOE, No. 25-2981, 2026 WL 2254433 (D.D.C. Aug. 5, 2026) (Berman Jackson, J.)

Re: Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”) challenge to agency notice that required all FOIA requesters with pending requests dated before October 1, 2024 to contact DOE to express their continued interest in material in order for requests to remain open

Disposition:  Denying defendants’ motion to dismiss and...

Forum on Open Access to Gov’t Records, Inc. v. Dall. Cnty. Hist. Found.¸ No. 25-2034, 2026 WL 2255253 (N.D. Tex. Aug. 5, 2026) (Boyle, S.J.)

Re: Request for injunction requiring NARA to make certain Zapruder frames (concerning assassination of President John F. Kennedy) publicly available online

Disposition:  Denying defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s FOIA cause of action

• Proactive Disclosures...

Driggs v. CIA, No. 25-2177, 2026 WL 2235297 (4th Cir. Aug. 4, 2026) (Diaz, C.J.)

Re: Request for records concerning American prisoners of war and government efforts to recover them

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

• Exemption 3: The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit holds that “[t]he...

Carlborg v. DOD, No. 25-5878, 2026 WL 2241785 (9th Cir. Aug. 4, 2026) (per curiam)

Re: Request for records concerning requester’s involuntary discharge from the military

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

• Litigation Considerations, Mootness and Other Grounds for Dismissal:  The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit holds that “[t]he district...

Citizens Against Donald Trump Inc. v. U.S. Coast Guard, No. 25-01826, 2026 WL 2247762 (E.D. Mo. Aug. 4, 2026) (Clark, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning boat strikes that the United States Coast Guard performed in Caribbean waters

Disposition:  Denying as moot defendant’s motion to dismiss; dismissing plaintiff’s complaint; denying other motions

• Litigation Considerations, Mootness and Other...

Bartko v. BOP, No. 26-489, 2026 WL 2209843 (D.D.C. July 31, 2026) (Boasberg, C.J.)

Re: Request for records concerning term of supervised release policy

Disposition:  Rejecting plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction

• Litigation Considerations, Preliminary Injunctions:  The court finds that “Plaintiff does not cite which provision would entitle him to expedited processing (let alone acknowledge...

Castillo-Payan v. DHS, No. 25-00875, 2026 WL 2194723 (D. Ariz. July 30, 2026) (Humetewa, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff

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

• Litigation Considerations, Evidentiary Showing, Adequacy of Search:  The court finds that, “[i]nitially, although Plaintiff...