Cold-Case Board Keeps Some Civil Rights Files Secret Longer
Published Date: 10/26/2026
Notice
Summary
The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board decided to delay releasing some records about old civil rights cases after reviewing requests from the DOJ and FBI. They approved 24 postponements but rejected others, meaning some records will stay secret a bit longer while others will be released. These decisions were made in October 2026 and must be shared publicly within two weeks, keeping transparency on track without rushing sensitive info.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
24 Records Postponed, Access Delayed
On October 16, 2026 and October 21, 2026 the Review Board approved 24 additional postponements requested by the DOJ and FBI, meaning those specified records will remain postponed and not be disclosed at this time.
Multiple Postponements Rejected — Records To Be Released
The Review Board rejected several postponement requests (including 2023-002-013: 2024-FBI-02-1650 and multiple DOJ/FBI items tied to incident 2024-003-046 such as 2024-DOJ-03-0836 and others), meaning those records have been cleared for disclosure following the Board's October 16 and October 21, 2026 decisions.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-19783, Notice of Formal Determination on Records Release
The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board decided to approve 2 out of 9 new requests to delay releasing certain records about a 2024 civil rights case. This means some information will stay under wraps a bit longer, while most records will be made public soon. These decisions were announced quickly to keep things transparent and on schedule.
2026-17441, Notice of Formal Determination on Records Release
The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board previously reviewed and made formal disclosure determinations on records related to civil rights cold case incident 2023-002-006 in which the Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed postponements. The DOJ later proposed 4 additional postponements. On August 24, 2026, the Review Board rejected these postponements and determined that 32 pages in full and 33 pages in part should be publicly disclosed in the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection. By issuing this notice, the Review Board complies with the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018 that requires the Review Board to publish in the Federal Register its determinations on the disclosure or postponement of records in the Collection no more than 14 days after the date of its decision.
2026-17368, Notice of Formal Determination on Records Release
The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board received 5,617 pages of records from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) related to three civil rights cold case incidents to which the Review Board assigned the unique identifiers 2023-002-005, 2024-003-029, and 2024-003-052. The agencies proposed 3,691 postponements including postponements of sealed federal grand jury information in the records. On August 7, 2026, the Review Board approved 1,086 postponements and portions of 71 additional postponements and determined that 5,104 pages in full and 513 pages in part should be publicly disclosed in the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection. The Review Board has requested that the Attorney General petition the relevant court to unseal federal grand jury information in the records. By issuing this notice, the Review Board complies with the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018 that requires the Review Board to publish in the Federal Register its determinations on the disclosure or postponement of records in the Collection no more than 14 days after the date of its decision.
2026-03814, Notice of Formal Determination on Records Release
The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board decided to release 1,300 pages of important records about four civil rights cold cases. This means the public can now access these documents, with no delays or extra costs. The decision was made on February 20, 2026, and announced quickly to keep things transparent and timely.
2025-09417, Notice of Formal Determination on Records Release
The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board reviewed 418 pages of records about three civil rights cold cases. They decided to release most of the records to the public but approved some delays in sharing certain parts. This means people can now access many important documents, with some info postponed for security or privacy reasons, all happening in May 2025 with no cost impact.
2025-07821, Notice of Formal Determination on Records Release
The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board reviewed over 2,400 pages of records about two important civil rights cases. They decided to release most of the pages to the public but approved some delays on others, balancing transparency with privacy. This decision affects anyone interested in these cases and happens quickly, with public access starting soon and no extra costs involved.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-21749, Sunshine Act Meetings
The Legal Services Corporation is holding important meetings on October 30, 2026, both in Seattle and online, where the public can watch most sessions live or in person with advance registration. Some parts might be closed to discuss sensitive topics like investments, investigations, or legal matters. These meetings keep things transparent while protecting privacy when needed, with no extra costs or delays announced.
Next: 2026-21751, Ratification of Civil Penalties
The Department of Homeland Security is officially confirming all civil penalties that were given out under temporary rules starting June 2025. These penalties, related to immigration violations, follow nearly the same process as the final rules published in October 2026. If you got a penalty, you have until November 16, 2026, to respond or submit claims.