First Amendment Records Requests
U.S. Constitution, Amendment 1
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution grants the public a right to access court records and filings that are part of public proceedings.
The Navy has been required to disclose filings and other related documents that a member of the public sitting in open court could have observed or heard, upon receipt of a written request. Such documents or information are subject to limited withholding or redaction based upon a compelling interest of the government.
First Amendment Records Request
The Office of the Judge Advocate General's Criminal Law Division processes First Amendment requests relating to Department of the Navy courts-martial proceedings and responds to requests for records of trial.
To submit a First Amendment Request for Release of Military Justice Records, please fill in the form below:
First Amendment Request for Release — Military Justice
Documents released in response to a First Amendment request are subject to limited redaction in accordance with U.S. Constitution, Amendment I. Unlike requests under the Freedom of Information Act, documents requested under the First Amendment will be publicly posted rather than sent directly to the requester. Documents will be posted to the JAG Corps public-facing website.
Please note, the First Amendment does not require the government to create documents that are not already in existence; therefore, requests for transcripts that are not generated by the government will incur actual costs to the requester. Our processing of such requests will not begin until necessary arrangements have been made involving third party transcription services.