Court Decisions

Johnson v. U.S. Dep’t of State, No. 25-430, 2025 WL 2496046 (N.D. Okla. Aug. 29, 2025) (Russell, J.)

Re: Plaintiff’s claim that defendant failed to return certain documents to him

Disposition:  Dismissing plaintiff’s complaint

• Litigation Considerations, Pleadings & Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies:  The court relates that, “[i]n his complaint, [plaintiff] claims that he asked Defendants to...

New C.L. All. v. SEC, No. 22-03567, 2025 WL 2494683 (D.D.C. Aug. 29, 2025) (Nichols, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning “‘control deficiency’” that allowed enforcement personnel to access adjudicative materials

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 5, “Inter-Agency or Intra-Agency” Threshold Requirement:  The court relates that “the Commission had tasked outside...

Informed Consent Action Network v. FDA, No. 25-0827, 2025 WL 2480080 (D.D.C. Aug. 28, 2025) (Cobb, J.)

Re: Request for records maintained by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (“CBER”)

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion to stay; staying case for approximately six months

• Litigation Considerations, “Open America” Stays of Proceedings:  The court finds that “[b]ecause the FDA has...

Schubert v. BOP, No. 23-3509, 2025 WL 2480076 (D.D.C. Aug. 28, 2025) (Cooper, J.)

Re: Request for records, including grievance and investigatory records, concerning two individuals that plaintiff suggests are employees

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s partial motion to dismiss and motion for summary judgment; denying plaintiff’s cross-motion for summary judgment

• Litigation Considerations...

James Madison Project v. CIA, No. 22-00321, 2025 WL 2465941 (D.D.C. Aug. 27, 2025) (Nichols, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning Havana syndrome

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment

• Exemption 1; Exemption 3:  The court relates that Part 1 of plaintiff’s request “sought a copy of the CIA’s purported January 19, 2022 ‘assessment’ of the causes of [the “‘anomalous health...

Zavadovsky v. Rabl, No 24-1997, 2025 WL 2466024 (D.D.C. Aug. 27, 2025) (Contreras, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning [United States Secret Service’s (“USSS”)] investigation of Plaintiffs’ alleged insurance fraud

Disposition:  Granting defendant’s motion to dismiss

• Litigation Considerations, Pleadings:  The court holds that “FOIA does not grant jurisdiction over individuals, even when the...

Bolin v. NARA, No. 25-00043, 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 164286 (D. Nev. Aug. 22, 2025) (Baldwin, Mag. J.)

Re:  Request for declaratory judgment that NARA violated FOIA by failing to proactively disclose records related to assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Disposition:  Dismissing case as moot

• Litigation Considerations, Mootness and Other Grounds for Dismissal:  The court relates that “shortly...

Cavanagh v. Nev. State Militia, No. 24-00196, 2025 WL 2433095 (D. Nev. Aug. 21, 2025) (Traum, J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff’s daughter

Disposition:  Denying plaintiff’s motion to dismiss; staying proceeding pending plaintiff’s exhaustion of administrative remedies

• Litigation Considerations, Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies:  The court finds that “[defendant’s] final response...

Duda v. DOJ, No. 24-1048, 2025 WL 2418404 (D.D.C. Aug. 21, 2025) (Alikhan, J.)

Re: Request for audio recordings related to investigation of Emmett Till’s murder

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

• Exemption 7(D):  “Given the parties’ competing assertions...

Perry v. Cox Commc’ns, No. 23-121, 23-122, 23-125, 2025 WL 2409761 (D. Neb. Aug. 20, 2025) (Carson, Mag. J.)

Re: Request for records concerning plaintiff

Disposition:  Denying plaintiff’s motion for injunctive relief and/or writ of mandamus

• Litigation Considerations, Pleadings, Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies & Mootness and Other Grounds for Dismissal:  The court finds that “Plaintiff . . . has...