Intrusion law in the District of Columbia does not differ in any significant way from the law described in the General Elements of an Intrusion Claim section of this guide. As result, you should follow the general advice outlined in the section on Practical Tips for Avoiding Liability When Gathering Private Information. District of Columbia courts have only focused on the first three elements of the claim as there have yet to be any cases that deal specifically with anguish or suffering.

If you gather news or information in Washington, DC, you should be aware that gathering data from FBI files may be held to a different standard than gathering information from other publicly available sources. For example, a court held that gathering information from FBI files could constitute a claim for intrusion because information contained in FBI files, although sometimes available through public records, are not as easily accessible. Alexander v. FBI, 971 F. Supp. 603 (D.D.C. 1997). The court also reasoned that this type of information is highly personal and private and its disclosure could be considered offensive to a person of ordinary sensibilities.