Litigation

American Oversight’s legal team is fighting in court every day to uphold the public’s right to information and to hold our leaders accountable.

American Oversight v. Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, Bessent, Rubio, and NARA – Military Actions Planned on Signal Messaging App

Lawsuit filed against Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, Bessent, Rubio, and NARA concerning news reports that a journalist had been added to a Signal group chat containing potentially classified information about active military operations.

government transparency
Federal

Search the archive of our litigation and see full text of the complaint and key documents from each suit.

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APPLY FILTERS & CLOSE RESET & CLOSE
person

American Oversight v. FBI and DOJ— January 6 Pardons and Communications 

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against the FBI and DOJ seeking to release officials’ communications about the January, 6, 2021, assault on the…

January 6Federal
January 5, 2026
person

American Oversight v. Commerce and DOJ — Pro Bono Legal Services from BigLaw

American Oversight filed suit against the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Justice (DOJ) for failing to release records related to the Trump admini…

weaponization of governmentFederal
December 11, 2025
person

American Oversight v. DOD and DOJ — U.S. Military Strikes on Alleged Venezuelan Drug Trafficking Boats

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against the Department of Defense and Department of Justice seeking to compel the release of records related to…

government transparencyFederal
December 4, 2025
person

American Oversight v. DOJ — Records Concerning Weaponization Working Group Director and U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin 

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against the DOJ seeking to compel the realize of records concerning Weaponization Working Group Director and U….

document preservation requirementsFederal
December 3, 2025
person

American Oversight vs. DHS, USCIS, and SSA — Voter Data Maintenance Efforts

Three lawsuits filed by American Oversight against the Trump administration seeking to compel the release of records about new federal voter data m…

October 31, 2025
person

American Oversight v. DHS and USCIS — Records Concerning Heather Honey 

American Oversight lawsuit filed against DHS and USCIS seeking to compel the release of records related to Heather Honey.

election administrationelection denialFederal
October 30, 2025
person

Complaint: American Oversight v. DHS and FEMA — Top Officials’ Texts Regarding Controversial Military Actions

American Oversight lawsuit filed against the DHS and FEMA for text messages and other communications from Secretary Kristi Noem and other senior of…

Federal
October 28, 2025
person

American Oversight Letter to NARA and DOJ Regarding Potential Loss of Federal Records Arising from Interim U.S. Attorney Halligan’s Noncompliant Use of the Signal Messenger App

American Oversight Letter to Acting Archivist Marco Rubio, NARA Chief Operating Officer Jay Trainer, and U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi regardi…

Trump administration accountabilityFederal
October 24, 2025
person

American Oversight v. State, DOD, CIA, ODNI, Treasury, OMB, DOJ, HHS, ED, and DOT — Signal Messages of Agencies’ Leaders 

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight seeking to compel the release of messages sent and received by agencies’ leaders using Signal messanger app, as…

government transparencyFederal
October 15, 2025
person

Freedom of the Press Foundation v. DOJ — Qatar’s ‘Gifted’ Jet to Trump Administration 

Memo filed by Freedom of the Press Foundation in response to the DOJ’s motion to strike important context from its complaint seeking the release of…

Trump administration accountabilityFederal
October 10, 2025
person

American Oversight v. DOJ and FBI — Trump Interviews in Epstein Investigation 

Lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for any interview records of President Donald Trump in…

Federal
October 7, 2025
person

Summary Judgment in American Oversight’s Favor in Lawsuit Over the Release of Communications Regarding Health Care Legislation

Summary judgment in American Oversight’s lawsuit over the release of health care negotiation emails.

government transparencyFederal
September 26, 2025
person

American Oversight v. DOJ — Trump Administration Review of Epstein Files

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against the DOJ and the FBI seeking to compel the release of records related to the Trump administration’s cont…

Trump administration accountabilityFederal
September 15, 2025
person

American Oversight v. DHS — Corey Lewandowski’s Role in the Trump Administration

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seeking to compel the release of records that could shed light…

Trump administration accountabilityFederal
September 10, 2025

American Oversight v. Federal Housing Finance Agency — Weaponization of Agency Against Fed’s Independence

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against the Federal Housing Finance Agency seeking to compel the release of records related to the weaponizatio…

Trump administration accountabilityweaponization of governmentFederal
August 26, 2025
person

Letter to Missouri Attorney General’s Office Regarding Failure to Release Records Regarding Abortion Shield Laws

Letter from American Oversight to the office of the Missouri Attorney General demanding that the office process a records request from March 19, 2025.

reproductive rightsMissouri
August 22, 2025
person

Rep. Neguse, et al v. ICE, et. al — Blocking Lawful Oversight of Immigration Detention Facilities 

Lawsuit filed by a dozen individual members of the U.S. House of Representatives against ICE, DHS, ICE Acting Director Lyons, and DHS Secretary Noe…

immigrationFederal
July 30, 2025
person

Freedom of the Press Foundation v. DOJ – Legal Memo on Qatari Jet Gift

The Freedom of the Press Foundation, represented by American Oversight, sued the Department of Justice for the release of a DOJ memorandum endorsin…

Trump administration accountabilityTrump businessesFederal
July 28, 2025

American Oversight v. DHS, CBP, ICE, and USCIS — Immigrant Registration Requirements 

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against DHS, CBP, ICE, USCIS seeking to compel the release of records related to immigrant registration.

immigrationFederal
July 24, 2025

American Oversight v. HHS, CMS, DOL, Treasury, IRS, and CFPB — Records Identifying Members of DOGE Teams 

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against six federal agencies seeking to compel the release of records identifying the names and titles of indiv…

DOGE secrecyFederal
July 16, 2025

American Oversight v. Commerce, DOD, DOE, HUD, STATE, USAID, and FBI — Records Identifying Members of DOGE Teams 

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against seven federal agencies seeking to compel the release of records identifying the names and titles of ind…

DOGE secrecyFederal
July 16, 2025

American Oversight v. ED, DHS, CISA, USCIS, DOT, USGS, OMB, OMP, and SEC — Records Identifying Members of DOGE Teams 

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against nine federal agencies seeking to compel the release of records identifying the names and titles of indi…

DOGE secrecyFederal
July 16, 2025

American Oversight v. Department of Justice – Emil Bove Records

American Oversight lawsuit against the Justice Department for records related to Emil Bove in light of allegations of serious professional misconduct.

July 10, 2025

American Oversight v. ICE — Section 287(g) Program Records

Lawsuit filed by American Oversight against ICE seeking to compel the release of records concerning a program under 287(g) of the Immigration and N…

immigrationFederal
June 26, 2025