Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office v. Thompson
Case Number: 241202797
Court: Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas
Client: Caitlin Thompson
Entry of Appearance Filed: March 13, 2025
Background: In September 2024, journalist Caitlin Thompson submitted a request under Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law to the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office seeking parts of daily reports that contain details about juvenile justice cases and the population of the city’s juvenile detention center. Thompson’s request asked the office to redact or remove youths’ names from the records.
After Thompson didn’t receive a response to the request within five business days, she appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The DA’s office claimed the records fell under exemptions in the Right-to-Know law that protect a minor’s personal information and law enforcement records concerning juveniles.
In December 2024, the OOR granted Thompson’s appeal in part, ordering the DA’s office to provide responsive documents while redacting certain personal information related to minors.
The DA’s office appealed the OOR’s decision to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. Paula Knudsen Burke, the Reporters Committee’s Local Legal Initiative attorney for Pennsylvania, began representing Thompson in this matter in March 2025.
Filings:
2024-12-02: OOR final determination
2024-12-22: Agency notice of appeal
2025-03-13: Requester entry of appearance
2025-05-05: Agency brief
2025-06-02: Thompson brief