Ashley v. U.S. Department of Justice

Since the mid-2000s, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has entered into non-prosecution agreements and deferred prosecution agreements with several major corporations, in lieu of prosecution. University of Virginia School of Law (UVA Law) library hosts an online resource that makes an extensive collection of federal corporate prosecution agreements available to the public. 

On April 20, 2020, UVA Law librarian Jonathan Ashley submitted FOIA requests seeking records relating to the non-prosecution agreements and deferred prosecution agreements between DOJ and several corporations. When DOJ failed to provide a substantive response for more than 18 months, Mr. Ashley, represented by Public Citizen and the University of Virginia School of Law First Amendment Clinic, filed a FOIA lawsuit against DOJ. DOJ then responded to the requests, resolving the litigation.