On February 3, 2015, an advocacy organization for women in military service, Service Women’s Action Network, filed this lawsuit under Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) against the United States Department of Defense (“DOD”) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. The Act requires government organizations to conduct a reasonable search or to provide the records when requested by the public. The plaintiffs argued that DOD, however, did not comply to the plaintiffs’ request to gather information from the US Military Academies about the policies and practices that lead to women’s under-representation in the Academies in violation of FOIA. Represented by ACLU and ACLU of Connecticut, the plaintiffs asked for declaratory relief, and for the court to compel a reasonable search for records and timely production of records on the discrimination faced by women who aspire to be military officers due to the defendants' admissions policies.

On June 23 and July 23, 2015, the defendant filed two status reports to report on the actions taken by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy in response to the plaintiffs’ FOIA requests. These Academies has completed reasonable searches designed to find all information in its possession responsive to the plaintiffs’ request, with some exceptions.

On June 17, 2016, the parties filed a stipulation of dismissal informing the court that this case had been settled between the parties and agreed to a stipulated dismissal with prejudice. The case is now closed.

Soojin Cha - 04/14/2016
Sichun Liu - 05/25/2019


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