FOIA Advisor

Court opinion issued Dec. 3, 2021

Court Opinions (2015-2023)Allan BlutsteinComment

Surgey v. EPA (D.D.C.) -- determining that: (1) EPA likely performed reasonable search for records concerning former Administrator’s trip to 2018 Rose Bowl game, but neglected to invoke the “magic words” that it searched all locations likely to contain responsive records; (2) EPA properly relied on Exemption 6 to withhold records about the former Administrator’s family vacation, and reserving judgment as to whether the agency properly withheld records concerning security personnel’s travel and logistical coordination under Exemptions 7(E) and 7(F).

Elec. Privacy Info. Serv. v. IRS (D.D.C.) -- ruling that the IRS improperly relied on Exemption 3 to withhold tax settlement agreements between the agency and Donald Trump and businesses associated with him, and that plaintiff was precluded from accessing copies of tax returns pursuant to the same exemption.

Summaries of all published opinions issued since April 2015 are available here.