This week, we cover two legal cases impacting records management. First, the Michigan Supreme Court is set to review a case involving the city of Grand Rapids and its delayed response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The ACLU argues that the city's 13-month delay in providing records on police drone use effectively denied the request, despite a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling in favor of the city because state law lacks a specific disclosure timeframe.

In another significant development, the D.C. Circuit Court will hear arguments in a case concerning the "clawback" of mistakenly disclosed records by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. This case highlights the tension between privacy interests and public disclosure under FOIA. The court previously vacated a clawback order due to a lack of judicial authority, as FOIA does not include provisions for such remedies. The outcome could have substantial implications for how agencies handle inadvertent disclosures.

📚 Sources:

• https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2026/01/grand-rapids-faces-supreme-court-challenge-over-records-request-response-times.html
• https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/1/23/foia-news-dc-circuit-to-hold-oral-argument-in-foia-clawback

This week on our podcast, we delve into four significant rulings on disclosure obligations and search requirements. In Georgia, a judge has ordered the Sandy Springs Police Department to release detailed incident reports previously withheld, following a legal battle with Appen Media. In Pennsylvania, a court has mandated the release of body-camera footage from a fatal police shooting, highlighting the importance of transparency. Meanwhile, in Alabama, the Central Alabama Water board has settled a lawsuit over access to legal invoices, amidst changes in their engineering firm agreements. Lastly, a federal court has upheld the Department of Education's search for student loan records, clarifying the extent of their obligations under FOIA requests. Tune in for insights into these pivotal cases shaping public access to information.

📚 Sources:

• https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2026/01/23/sandy-springs-police-records-lawsuit/
• https://birminghamwatch.org/2026/01/17/caw-prequalifies-engineers-settles-public-records-lawsuit/
• https://www.rcfp.org/bodycam-footage-deshawn-leeth/
• https://public.fastcase.com/ppbqSQpNDaJE%2F8PlIk0b8HBSVmcS9TNNu1gWNzT%2FPC8B70SauEw3H1BJoCfaGJMF

In this episode, we delve into recent developments in public records and information access. A federal court scrutinized the Department of Justice's search for archived and deleted emails in a FOIA case, requiring further verification by 2026. The Ninth Circuit finalized a ruling that EEO-1 reports from federal contractors are not protected under FOIA's Exemption 4, impacting workforce composition data disclosure. North Dakota's Attorney General clarified that agencies aren't obligated to recreate missing records, as seen in a school district's compliance with open records laws. In Tennessee, a court rejected broad Exemption 4 claims by the Tennessee Valley Authority regarding a gas pipeline project, emphasizing the need for specific justifications. Meanwhile, Washington state grapples with AI and surveillance data challenges, prompting updates to public records management practices and potential legislative action.

📚 Sources:

• https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/1/12/court-opinion-issued-jan-9-2026
• https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/1/14/foia-news-litigation-over-eeo-1-reports-continues
• https://www.kvrr.com/2026/01/15/nd-attorney-general-issues-opinion-on-open-records-request-of-williston-school-district/
• https://www.foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/1/15/court-opinions-issued-jan-12-2026
• https://mrsc.org/stay-informed/mrsc-insight/january-2026/pra-2025