SECCHI v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE et al and 21 other new FOIA lawsuits, plus case descriptions

We have added 203 documents from 22 FOIA cases filed between June 16, 2024 and June 22, 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. SECCHI v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE et al (filed Jun 18, 2024)
   Silvia Seechi, a professor of economics at the University of Iowa, submitted a FOIA request to Natural Resources Conservation Center for records concerning funding application materials for programs selected to be funded. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency located 7,462 pages of responsive records but withheld them all under Exemption 4 (commercial and confidential). Seechi filed an administrative appeal but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Seechi filed suit.
   Issues: Litigation – Attorney’s fees, Failure to respond within statutory time limit
2. Jackson v. U.S. Internal Revenue Service (filed Jun 18, 2024)
   Sidney Jackson, on behalf of McKinley Brooks Investment, submitted a FOIA request to the IRS for the company’s tax returns. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Jackson filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
3. SHORELIGHT LLC v. UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (filed Jun 17, 2024)
   Shorelight LLC submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for records concerning Form I-20s containing information from Student and Exchange Visitor Information System., including information on Optional Practical Training. Shorelight also requested expedited processing. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After Shorelight filed an administrative appeal because the agency failed to respond on time, the agency remanded the request for processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Shorelight filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Expedited processing, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
4. JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (filed Jun 17, 2024)
   Judicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the U.S. Military Academy for records concerning the decision to leave out the motto Duty, Honor, County from a message from the superintendent. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request 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
5. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION et al (filed Jun 17, 2024)
   Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the FDA for records concerning specific clinical trials. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request and told ICAN that processing would take two years. ICAN then filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Vaughn index, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
6. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION et al (filed Jun 17, 2024)
   Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning four named officials and the words covid, consult and vaccine. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. ICAN agreed to narrow its 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
7. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH et al (filed Jun 17, 2024)
   Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the National Institute of Health for records concerning emails of four named officials including the terms vaccine or immunize. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. NIH asked ICAN to narrow the scope of the request. 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
8. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION et al (filed Jun 18, 2024)
   Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Centers for Disease Control for records concerning verifying the veracity of two statements made by agency officials. 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
9. ABBOTT LABORATORIES v. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (filed Jun 18, 2024)
   Abbott Laboratories submitted five FOIA requests to the IRS for records concerning specific aspects of its tax returns. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Abbott Laboratories filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
10. KENNEDY v. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY et al (filed Jun 18, 2024)
    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. submitted two FOIA requests to the Secret Service for records concerning risk assessment records regarding RFK Jr. Kennedy also requested expedited processing. The agency granted Kennedy’s requests for expedited processing. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Kennedy filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
11. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (filed Jun 18, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning transcripts of meetings held by the Vaccine Confidence subcommittee. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency told ICAN that it had improperly closed its request. 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 Jun 18, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the National Institutes of Health for records concerning communications with Adam Berger concerning the letter signed by 18 members of Congress. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. 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
13. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH et al (filed Jun 18, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to National Institute of Health for records concerning amounts and payments of royalty fees to Anthony Fauci. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. 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. HOLTEC DECOMMISSIONING INTERNATIONAL, LLC v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (filed Jun 20, 2024)
    Holtec Decommissioning International submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Energy for records concerning Fort St. Vrain and Idaho National Laboratory. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. The agency told Holtec that it was referring the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, Holtec filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
15. JUDICIAL WATCH, INC. v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE (filed Jun 20, 2024)
    Judicial Watch submitted a FOIA request to the Department of State for records concerning the detention of James Wilgus in Russia. 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
16. PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S TRUST v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (filed Jun 21, 2024)
    Protect the Public’s Trust submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Agriculture for records concerning communications to and from Secretary Vilsack and two other senior officials. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. After hearing nothing further from the agency, PPT filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
17. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (filed Jun 21, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Health and Human Services for records concerning meetings involving COIVID-19 infections that included the following listed officials. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. 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. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH et al (filed Jun 21, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request to the National Institute of Health for records concerning communications to or from four named officials containing a list of specific keywords. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. 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. INFORMED CONSENT ACTION NETWORK v. NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH et al (filed Jun 21, 2024)
    Informed Consent Action Network submitted a FOIA request for records concerning the National Toxicology Program determination to discontinue radio frequency studies. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request. 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
20. de Wit et al v. United States Customs and Border Protection et al (filed Jun 20, 2024)
    Juan Carlos de Wit and De Wit Immigration Law submitted a FOIA request to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for records concerning why their clients Felipe Hayvard and Angela Rosselet, Chilean nationals who lived in Florida, were barred from re-entering the United States after they had to return to Chile because of a family death. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing further from the agency, De Wit filed suit
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
21. Gould v. Mayorkas (filed Jun 17, 2024)
    Albert Gould submitted two FOIA requests to the Department of Homeland Security for records concerning a retention initiative pay program for critical employees working out of Boston Logan Airport for Transportation Security Administration. The agency acknowledged receipt of the request but after hearing nothing from the agency, Gould filed suit.
    Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Adequacy – Search, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
22. Western Watersheds Project v. U.S. Forest Service (filed Jun 20, 2024)
    Western Watersheds Project submitted two FOIA request to U.S. Forester Service for records. The agency acknowledged receipt of both requests. After hearing nothing further from the agency, WWP filed suit.
    Issues: Litigation – Attorney’s fees, Failure to respond within statutory time limit