A freelance member of the news media is seeking a court order to compel a federal agency to release public records that he alleges have been unlawfully withheld, raising questions about government transparency and compliance with federal law. The complaint was filed by John J. Coleman on April 10, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.
According to court documents, Coleman describes himself as a published writer and researcher specializing in drug abuse control policy. He alleges that the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA), an agency within the Department of Justice, failed to respond to two separate Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests he submitted in January 2026. The requests sought copies of settlement agreements executed between various U.S. government agencies—including the Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Louisiana—and Morris & Dickson LLC.
The complaint outlines that Coleman mailed his first FOIA request on January 8, 2026, asking for documents related to a settlement agreement from August 2024 involving Morris & Dickson LLC and several federal agencies. A second request was sent on January 10, 2026, seeking similar documents from a May 2019 settlement agreement with the same company. Both requests were sent via USPS Priority Mail and tracked; records show they were received at EOUSA’s Washington D.C. office on January 14 and January 15 respectively.
Coleman states that under FOIA regulations, agencies are required to acknowledge receipt of such requests within ten business days and provide tracking numbers if processing will take longer than ten days. Agencies must also make a determination regarding compliance within twenty business days after receiving a request. However, Coleman claims he did not receive any acknowledgment or case numbers from EOUSA within this timeframe.
After more than fourteen business days had passed without response, Coleman used an online portal provided by the Department of Justice on February 6, 2026, to send a follow-up message requesting action on his pending FOIA inquiries. In his message he wrote: “That was more than three weeks ago, and you have not yet sent me an acknowledgment with case numbers and the expected date of processing. Please take care of this immediately.” Despite this effort, Coleman reports receiving no reply.
On March 6, 2026—after nearly two months without resolution—Coleman filed administrative appeals with the Office of Information Policy (OIP), which handles such matters for all Department of Justice agencies including EOUSA. OIP acknowledged receipt of these appeals by letter dated March 6 and assigned them case numbers A-2026-00858 and A-2026-00859.
According to statutory requirements cited in Coleman’s filing, OIP was obligated to issue determinations regarding these appeals within twenty business days—by April 7, 2026—but failed to do so as well. As stated in his complaint: “To date, April 10, 2026, both the EOUSA and OIP have failed to comply with the FOIA.” He asserts that this lack of response leaves him no option but judicial review “to enjoin the agency from withholding agency records and to order the production of any agency records improperly withheld from the complainant.”
In Count One of his complaint alleging violation of FOIA statutes (5 U.S.C §552), Coleman claims he is being irreparably harmed by what he describes as unlawful withholding of public records by EOUSA: “Plaintiff is being irreparably harmed because of Defendant’s unlawful withholding…and Plaintiff will continue to be irreparably harmed unless Defendant is compelled to conform its conduct to the requirements of FOIA.”
Coleman asks the court for several forms of relief: an order requiring EOUSA to search for all responsive records using reasonable methods; production by a set date of all non-exempt responsive documents along with an index justifying any redactions or exemptions; an injunction preventing further withholding; reimbursement for filing fees and litigation costs; and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The complaint was filed pro se by John J. Coleman without attorney assistance. No attorneys are listed as representing either party in this initial filing. The case identification number is 1:26-cv-00979-PTG-LRV.
