Feb. 16, 2024

Insider, Inc. v.. GSA (D.C. Cir.) -- affirming district court’s decision that GSA properly invoked Exemption 6 to withhold the names of several low-level members of President Trump’s and Vice President Pence’s outgoing transition teams; reasoning that such individuals were not government employees, disclosure would not shed light on GSA activities, and the mere possibility that such individuals might be aware of government conduct was too speculative to qualify as a public interest.

US Inventor, Inc. v. USPTO (D.D.C.) -- ruling that Patent & Trade office performed reasonable searches for various records concerning a vacant Director’s position.

Geddis v. DHS (D.D.C.) -- determining that plaintiff failed to rebut evidence that agency never received his request, which was indisputably sent but misaddressed.

Protect the Public’s Trust v. IRS (D.D.C.) -- holding that: (1) plaintiff was eligible for attorney’s fees because IRS thrice refused to search for requested records and it changed its position only after plaintiff filed suit and the court ordered the filing of a dispositive motion; rejecting agency’s argument that a plaintiff cannot substantially prevail without obtaining responsive records, and (2) plaintiff was entitled to fees and its requested fee amount was reasonable, especially given the “interesting legal questions” raised by the request for fees.

Summaries of all published opinions issued in 2024 are available here. Earlier opinions are available here.