Detroit Free Press v. Dep’t of Justice
The Detroit Free Press sought to obtain the booking photos of federal indictees who had been publiicly named and had appeared in open court through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The U.S. Marshals Service denied the request, citing Exemption 7(C) of FOIA. The lower court granted summary judgment in favor of the Detroit Free Press. On appeal before the entire circuit court, the Sixth Circuit held that individuals maintain a “non-trival privacy interest” in booking photos. In response, the Detroit Free Press has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review. In support of the petition, the Reporters Committee argues that the booking photos of federal indictees do not implicate any cognizable privacy interests under the Constitution or the common law and should not be exempt from FOIA under Exemption 7(C). We further argued that access to booking photos enables the news media to properly provide the public with information on law enforcement activity and the administration of justice. Because members of the news media rely on booking photos to effectively report on arrests and other aspects of the criminal justice system, limitations on access could hinder the new media’s ability to provide the public with important information.