Court Decisions

Sarno v. DOJ, No. 16-677, 2017 WL 4355925 (D.D.C. Sept. 29, 2017) (Collyer, J.)

Re:  Requests for records concerning criminal database involved in plaintiff's criminal conviction

Disposition:  Granting one defendant's motion for summary judgment; denying one defendant's motion for summary judgment

• Litigation Considerations, Adequacy of Search:  "Because the search of the Chicago Field Office...

Coffey v. BLM, No. 16-653, 2017 WL 4355924 (D.D.C. Sept. 29, 2017) (Sullivan, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning employees and individuals or organizations interested in purchasing wild horses or burros under agency's management

Disposition:  Staying further proceedings and holding in abeyance final ruling on parties' motions for summary judgment

• Procedural Requirements, Searching for...

Goldstein v. Treasury Inspector Gen. for Tax Admin., No. 14-02189, 2017 WL 4358677 (D.D.C. Sept. 29, 2017) (Mehta, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning plaintiff's conduct as a whistleblower

Disposition:  Denying plaintiff's motion for relief from judgment; granting in part and denying in part defendant's second motion for summary judgment; denying plaintiff's cross-motion for summary...

Goldstein v. IRS, No. 14-02186, 2017 WL 4358674 (D.D.C. Sept. 29, 2017) (Mehta, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning plaintiff's father's estate

Disposition:  Granting in part and denying in part defendant's second motion to dismiss and for summary judgment; denying plaintiff's cross-motion for summary judgment

• Procedural Requirements, Proper FOIA Requests:  As to several items in...

DiGirolamo v. DEA, No. 15-5737, 2017 WL 4382097 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2017) (Carter, Jr., J.)

Re:  Requests for records concerning plaintiff

Disposition:  Granting defendant's renewed motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 7, Threshold:  The court holds that "the records meet the threshold for Exemption 7 as being compiled for a law enforcement purpose."  The court relates that "[plaintiff]...

Abdul-Alim v. Wray, No. 14-30059, 2017 WL 4368618 (D. Mass. Sept. 29, 2017) (Hillman, J.)

Re:  Request for records concerning plaintiff

Disposition:  Granting defendant's motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 1:  "[The court] find[s] that in [its] declaration, [defendant] sets forth in detail how the information falls within and meets the requirements of E.O. 13526 and how it could negatively...

Estate of Grant v. United States, No. 16-1660, 2017 WL 4325276 (Fed. Cl. Sept. 29, 2017) (Kaplan, J.)

Re:  Requests for records concerning certain loan applications

Disposition:  Granting defendant's motion to dismiss

• Litigation Considerations, Jurisdiction:  "With respect to disputes under FOIA, only the district courts have subject matter jurisdiction; the Court of Federal Claims does not...

The New York Times Co. v. DOJ, No. 16-6120, 2017 WL 4712636 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2017) (Berman, J.)

Re:  Request for written threat assessments of Guantanamo Bay detainees

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

• Exemption 5, Deliberative Process Privilege:  The court holds that "DOJ argues persuasively (and shows by a...

Murray v. Shulkin, No. 16-2295, 2017 WL 4174423 (D.D.C. Sept. 29, 2017) (Bates, J.)

Re:  Request for plaintiff's VA claims file

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

• Litigation Considerations, Mootness and Other Grounds for Dismissal: "[T]he Court, finding no evidence of agency bad faith, will grant summary judgment to...

Codrea v. ATF, No. 15-0988, 2017 WL 4334119 (D.D.C. Sept. 28, 2017) (Howell, J.)

Re:  Request for six categories of documents concerning federal firearms

Disposition:  Denying plaintiffs' motion for attorney fees

• Attorney Fees, Eligibility:  The court holds that "plaintiffs cannot establish their eligibility as the prevailing party because they have not demonstrated that 'the institution and...