FOIA Advisor

Court opinion issued July 25, 2023

Court Opinions (2015-2023)Allan BlutsteinComment

Down Law Grp. v. U.S. Coast Guard (D.D.C.) -- ruling that: (1) Coast Guard did not conduct adequate search for certain records concerning the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill clean-up, because agency erroneously narrowed scope of plaintiff’s first request and failed to sufficiently explain its search methodology; and (2) agency failed to show how Exemption 6 protected the names of Coast Guard personnel who were given awards for their service in connection with the oil spill response, rejecting agency’s explanation that disclosure would subject personnel to harassment and violence.

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