Opinion ID: 782716
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Alleged Negative Effect of Eliminating the FOIA Catalyst Theory

Text: 32 Finally, in a policy-oriented argument, UNITE predicts that if FOIA plaintiffs are not permitted to qualify for fee awards under the catalyst theory, recalcitrant agencies will be able to avoid such awards by releasing the requested records at the eleventh hour. The petitioners in Buckhannon advanced a similar argument, contending that in the absence of the catalyst theory, defendants seeking to avoid an award of attorney's fees would be able to do so by unilaterally mooting an action just prior to judgment. See Buckhannon, 532 U.S. at 608, 121 S.Ct. 1835. The Court rejected the petitioners' claim, noting that it was entirely speculative and unsupported by any empirical evidence. Id. We agree and find UNITE's argument on this front unavailing. We would add that this is a policy argument best addressed to Congress.