WP COMPANY LLC v. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY et al and 29 other new FOIA lawsuits, plus case descriptions

We have added 244 documents from 30 FOIA cases filed between March 17, 2024 and March 23, 2024. Note that there can be delays between the date a case is filed and when it shows up on PACER. If there are filings from this period that have yet to be posted on PACER, this FOIA Project list may not be complete.

Click on a case title below to view details for that case, including links to the associated docket and complaint documents.

1. WP COMPANY LLC v. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY et al (filed Mar 20, 2024)
   The Washington Post submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Treasury and U.S. Marshals Service for records. First request went to the Office of Foreign Assets Control and asked for records of licenses to any entity allowed to manage seized property. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The second request went to U.S. Marshals Service and asked for records of OFAC licenses given to U.S. Marshals Service to manage seized property. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from either agency, the Washington Post filed suit.
   Issues: Litigation – Attorney’s fees, Failure to respond within statutory time limit
2. Meadows v. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (filed Mar 18, 2024)
   Thomas Meadows submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for records concerning the review of an incident in which he was told not to give a ride to someone who wanted to attend the special Olympics. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Meadows filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search
3. Merino v. Unknown Parties et al (filed Mar 21, 2024)
   Luis Merino, a state prisoner, tried to get records from the Department of Justice and the State of Arizona. After hearing nothing further from the Justice Department, Merino filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit
4. Jesus Eric Carasco v. E. Martin Estrada et al (filed Mar 18, 2024)
   Jesus Eric Carasco submitted a FOIA request to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California for records about the case against him. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Carasco filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit
5. San Diego Comprehensive Pain Management Center, Inc. v. United States Department of Health & Human Services (filed Mar 20, 2024)
   San Diego Comprehensive Pain Management Center submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning its suspension from the Medicare program. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after nothing further from the agency, SDCPMC filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
6. POWER THE FUTURE v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (filed Mar 17, 2024)
   Power the Future submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning paperwork for certain individuals employed by the Envoy for Climate Change. Power the Future also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Power the Future filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
7. JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (filed Mar 18, 2024)
   Judicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Secret Service for records concerning the investigation of a pipe bomb left at the DNC headquarters on January 6, 2021. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency told Judicial Watch that it had located potentially responsive records but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
8. FOIA PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LLC v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (filed Mar 18, 2024)
   FOIA Professional Services submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Transportation for records concerning complaints regarding airline ancillary fees submitted by individuals to DOT. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, FOIA Professionals filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
9. CLARKE v. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (filed Mar 18, 2024)
   George Clarke submitted a FOIA request to the IRS for records concerning a paper presented by IRS Office of Chief Counsel employee Clifford Warren at the ABA Section on Taxation in Philadelphia, November 14, 2023. Clarke also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and denied the request for expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Clarke filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit
10. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION et al (filed Mar 19, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning the names of subject matter experts who informed CDC’s December 5, 2023 response to FOIA request #22-00860. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency located five responsive pages and withheld portions under Exemption 5 (privileges) and Exemption 6 (invasion of privacy). ICAN filed an administrative appeal, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
11. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION et al (filed Mar 19, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning emails sent or received by Brooke Aspinall and/or Carol Crawford that include the names of social media companies. ICAN also asked for inclusion in the media category. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and put ICAN in the others category for fees. The agency asked ICAN to clarify the scope of its request several times until ICAN finally refused to narrow the request further. As a result, the agency closed the request based on its claim that it was too broad to search for records. ICAN filed an administrative appeal but after hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
12. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH et al (filed Mar 19, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the National Institute of Health for records concerning emails from Anthony Fauci between May 2020 and May 2021 that includes of terms SARS-CoV and COVID. The agency acknowledged receipt of the receipt. After hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Public Interest Fee Waiver, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
13. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION et al (filed Mar 19, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning deliverables submitted by General Dynamic Information Technology as required in a specified contract with a specified task order. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency located 123 responsive pages and disclosed 110 pages in full or in part and withheld 13 pages in full under Exemption 4 (commercial and confidential). ICAN filed an administrative appeal. After hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
14. IMMIGRANT INVESTORS ASSOCIATION, INC. v. UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Immigrant Investors Services submitted numerous FOIA requests to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for records concerning statistics related to processing I-525 and I-526E petitions. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency, IIA filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
15. GOMEZ RUBIO v. U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION DIVISION (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Talia Rubio, a U.S. citizen living in Mexico, submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for records of her travels to and from the U.S. so that she could apply for citizenship for her daughter. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Rubio filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
16. CATO INSTITUTE v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE et al (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Cato Institute submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning Preventing Violence and Criminal Activity SITREPs promulgated or issued between January 2017 and January 2021. Cato Institute also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency denied the request as being overbroad. Cato Institute filed an administrative appeal. The Office of Information Policy remanded the request for further review. The FBI denied Cato Institute’s request for a fee waiver. The FBI told Cato Institute that it had located 1,157 pages of potentially responsive records and that such a request would take 67 months to process. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Cato Institute filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
17. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY et al (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted two FOIA requests. to Defense Health Agency for records concerning communications sent or received by a list of named individuals between January 2014 and December 31, 2015 concerning a named study. The second FOIA request asked for records concerning the named study. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests. After hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
18. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION et al (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted two FOIA requests to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning for communications sent or received by two named individuals pertaining to a report on COVID-19. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests. The agency located 22 responsive pages. The agency withheld all 22 pages under Exemption 5 (privileges). ICAN filed an administrative appeal, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
19. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY & OVERSIGHT v. U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Government Accountability & Overtsight submitted a FOIA request to the EPA for records concerning a memo prepared for a March 2022 meeting between EPA Administrator Michael Regan and congressional staff relating to sustainable energy. GAO requested expedited processing and a fee waiver. EPA acknowledged receipt of the request and granted the fee waiver request, but denied the request for expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, GAO filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
20. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION et al (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning Daily Priority Reports sent to the agency from VAERS contractor. The agency acknowledged the receipt of the request. The agency responded that it had located 3,445 pages of responsive records. It disclosed 1,459 pages in full or in part and withheld 1,986 pages entirely under Exemption 5 (privileges). ICAN filed an administrative appeal but after hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
21. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH et al (filed Mar 20, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to NIH for records concerning emails sent of received by three named staff regarding antibodies to SARS. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, ICAN filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
22. DEFENSE OF FREEDOM INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION et al (filed Mar 21, 2024)
    Defense of Freedom Institute submitted three FOIA requests to the Department of Education. The requests also asked for a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests and granted the fee waivers. After hearing nothing further from the agency about any of the requests, DFI filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
23. DEFENSE OF FREEDOM INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES, INC. v. US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (filed Mar 21, 2024)
    Defense of Freedom Institute submitted two FOIA requests to the Department of Education for records concerning its sex desegregation policies. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests but after hearing nothing further from the agency, DFI filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
24. PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST v. U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (filed Mar 21, 2024)
    Protect the Public’s Trust submitted a FOIA request to the EPA for records concerning the role of Indigenous Knowledge in executive branch decision-making. PPT also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and granted PPT’s request for a fee waiver. After hearing nothing further from the agency, PPT filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
25. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY & OVERSIGHT v. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (filed Mar 22, 2024)
    Government Accountability & Oversight submitted a FOIA request to the SEC for records concerning certain described emails one SEC official which included six keywords. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, GAO filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
26. JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (filed Mar 22, 2024)
    Judicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning emails referencing Tucker Carlson and a number of State officials. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Judicial Watch filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
27. AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (filed Mar 22, 2024)
    The ACLU Foundation submitted two FOIA requests to the Department of Justice for records concerning the number of mentally ill prisoners held in federal prisons. The ACLU Foundation also requested a fee waiver. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, the ACLU Foundation filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
28. BLOOMBERG L.P. v. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION et al (filed Mar 22, 2024)
    Bloomberg News submitted five FOIA requests to the FDA for records concerning for postmarketing requirements for various drugs. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Bloomberg News filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
29. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. United States Department of Energy (filed Mar 21, 2024)
    Natural Resources Defense Council submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Energy for records concerning a memo with signed with the ACC to encourage recycling of plastic. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency told the NRDC that it was processing the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, NRDC filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
30. Steele v. Federal Bureau of Investigation et al (filed Mar 22, 2024)
    Terry Steele submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for records concerning a 1997 request. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Steele filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Recovery of Costs