Flowers v. U.S. Secret Service

Case Number: 1:26-cv-03475

Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Client: Alison Flowers

Background: In September 2025, journalist Alison Flowers submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the U.S. Secret Service seeking records related to the federal criminal prosecution of Dee Farmer, a trans woman whose lawsuit against prison officials in the 1980s resulted in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision about prisoners’ right to be protected from violence and assault by other prisoners.

Several months later, the government responded that it had located records that were “potentially responsive” to her request, and that it was processing the documents. More than a year later, however, the Secret Service has yet to produce any records, despite receiving several follow-up letters from Flowers asking about the status of her request.

On behalf of Flowers, Reporters Committee attorneys filed this lawsuit alleging that the Secret Service violated FOIA by failing to comply with statutory deadlines and wrongfully withholding agency records. 

Filings:

2025-10-05: Complaint