A married Army couple has filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging the Department of the Army unlawfully released sensitive personal information protected under federal law. At the heart of the case is a military police report that contained unredacted details about the family, including Social Security numbers, Department of Defense identification numbers, dates of birth, and the names of their minor children.

The couple contends that the release of this information, without their knowledge or consent, directly violated the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, which prohibits government agencies from disclosing personal records contained within a “system of records” absent a written request or authorization. The law makes clear that any intentional or willful release of protected data that causes harm opens the door to civil liability.

Here, the unredacted report was transmitted to a third party during a private custody dispute. Not only was the disclosure made without any lawful basis, but the Army itself later conceded through its Installation Management Command that the report had been released in violation of federal law. The complaint alleges the release was willful and intentional, even occurring after the Army employee responsible received a system-generated warning about disseminating personally protected information.

Legal precedent strengthens the family’s claim. In Doe v. U.S. Department of Justice and Chambers v. U.S. Department of the Interior, the D.C. Circuit confirmed that unlawful disclosures causing adverse effects, such as financial costs or emotional distress, are actionable. The complaint cites these principles in establishing all four required elements of a Privacy Act damages claim:

1. The police report was a record within a system of records.
2. The Army improperly disclosed the record.
3. The disclosure was willful and intentional.
4. The plaintiffs suffered adverse effects, including more than $20,000 in legal fees and lasting emotional harm.

“This is not just a technical violation,” said their counsel, Dylan Thayer of the Law Offices of David P. Sheldon, PLLC. “When the Army released a document it was explicitly forbidden to share, it violated a fundamental promise of privacy and accountability. The consequences for this family were immediate and severe.”

The lawsuit seeks damages, attorneys’ fees, and other relief under the Privacy Act, sending a clear message: military families, like all Americans, are entitled to the full protections Congress enacted to keep their personal information secure.

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