FOIA Activity: 217 new FOIA court documents

We have added 60 documents from 5 FOIA cases filed between December 24, 2017 and December 30, 2017. 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. Ramaci v. Federal Bureau Of Investigation (filed Dec 26, 2017)
   Lisa Ramaci, a plaintiff in several lawsuits alleging that Iran was responsible for the kidnapping and murder of her husband journalist Stephen Vincent in Basra, Iraq in 2005, whose death was investigated by the FBI, submitted a FOIA request to the FBI for its records pertaining to its investigation of Vincent’s murder. Because the file contained more than 3,300 pages, Ramaci eventually narrowed her request to two documents, a closing memo and a description of the investigation totaling 116 pages. The agency agreed to disclose the records, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Ramaci filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees
2. LAMB v. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (filed Dec 27, 2017)
   James Lamb submitted FOIA requests to the Federal Trade Commission for records concerning himself, the organizations DOT Authority.com, Interstateauthority.com, and Logistec/TTS. The agency acknowledged receipt of the requests, but denied them in full under five exemptions. Lamb filed administrative appeals for the denials. The agency upheld its original denial and added that his unpaid fees had exceeded the $250 aggregate amount. Lamb then filed suit.
   Issues: Litigation – Attorney’s fees
3. Sanchez-Lebron et al v. National Personnel Records Center et al (filed Dec 27, 2017)
   Miriam Sanchez-Lebron submitted FOIA requests to the Department of Veterans Affairs for records concerning her grandfather Eladio Lebron. She received some records, but after the agency failed to respond further, she filed suit.
   Issues: Failure to respond within statutory time limit
4. LEOPOLD et al v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (filed Dec 28, 2017)
   Buzzfeed reporter Jason Leopold submitted a FOIA request to the Department of Justice for records concerning the agency’s reaction to 152 attached news articles, some of which may have included leaked material. Leopold also requested expedited processing, a fee waiver and inclusion in the news media fee category. The agency issued a Glomar response neither confirming nor denying the existence of records. Leopold filed an administrative appeal, but after hearing nothing further from the agency, Leopold filed suit.
   Issues: Expedited processing, Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Fee Category – Media or Educational, Litigation – Attorney’s fees, Public Interest Fee Waiver
5. GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE PARTNERS et al v. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR et al (filed Dec 28, 2017)
   Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, the Society of Vertebrae Paleontology, and the Conservation Lands Foundation submitted FOIA requests to the Department of the Interior, the Council for Environmental Quality, and OMB for records concerning the review process that resulted in the land area of Grand Staircase National Monument being reduced in size as a result of President Trump’s executive order on the management of federal lands. Some of the agencies acknowledged receipt of the requests, while others did not. After hearing nothing further from any of the agencies, the requesters filed suit.
   Issues: Adequacy – Search, Failure to respond within statutory time limit, Litigation – Attorney’s fees

In addition, we have added 157 documents from 21 cases, with earlier filing dates, that have recently appeared on PACER.

1. NEVADANS FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS v. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (filed Dec 22, 2017)
2. Pinnicchia v. United States Department of Veterans Affairs (filed Dec 21, 2017)
3. NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, INC. v. UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (filed Dec 21, 2017)
4. PROPERTY OF THE PEOPLE, INC. et al v. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (filed Dec 21, 2017)
5. PEI v. UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (filed Dec 21, 2017)
6. WILDEARTH GUARDIANS v. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (filed Dec 21, 2017)
7. BLIXSETH v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (filed Dec 21, 2017)
8. American Civil Liberties Union et al v. Department of Defense et al (filed Dec 21, 2017)
9. Conley v. United States Department of Homeland Security (filed Dec 20, 2017)
10. CAUSE OF ACTION INSTITUTE v. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (filed Dec 20, 2017)
11. The Center for Investigative Reporting et al (CIR) v. Department of Homeland Security (filed Dec 19, 2017)
12. Omotosho v. United States Corporation et al (filed Dec 19, 2017)
13. AMERICAN OVERSIGHT v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE et al (filed Dec 19, 2017)
14. INDIAN LAW RESOURCE CENTER v. OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY-INDIAN AFFAIRS et al (filed Dec 19, 2017)
15. Thaw v. Department of Health and Human Services et al (filed Dec 19, 2017)
16. Veterans Appellate Law Group, LLC v. United States of America et al (filed Dec 19, 2017)
17. Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence v. U.S. Department of Justice (filed Dec 18, 2017)
18. Nelson v. United States Corporation et al (filed Dec 18, 2017)
19. Friends of Etna Turpentine Camp, Inc. v. United States Fish and Wildlife Service et al (filed Dec 18, 2017)
20. Friends of Etna Turpentine Camp, Inc. v. United States Fish and Wildlife Service et al (filed Dec 18, 2017)
21. The New York Times Co. et al v. United States Department of the Interior (filed Dec 18, 2017)