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Nonprofiteer
← JUDICIAL WATCH INC

Form 990 for tax year 2022

Filed by JUDICIAL WATCH INC.

What the amendment changed

Compared with the return it replaced , filed 21 August 2023. matched by us Only the return's totals, a 990-PF's accounting method and the names listed in Part VII (Part VIII on a 990-PF) are compared. We relate returns by organization, tax year and form, and order them by each return's own timestamp; the filer's own "amended return" checkbox is a separate fact.

Those are the same on the two returns, so the amendment changed something else.

Totals

Total revenue
$102,787,643
Total expenses
$57,385,244
Contributions and grants received
$102,070,631
Grants paid
$53,000
Program service revenue
$39,346
Investment income
$402,092
Other revenue
$275,574
Total assets, end of year
$325,494,421
Total liabilities, end of year
$11,862,972
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$313,631,449
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$36,263,361
Management and general expenses
$6,843,360
Fundraising expenses
$14,278,523
Program service expenses (Part III)
$36,263,361

Program services were 63.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $102,070,631

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $735,446

  • 2a · Program service revenue: ATTORNEY SETTLEMENT FEES

    total $39,346 · related or exempt $39,346

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $6,631,256 · excluded $6,631,256

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $262,279 · excluded $262,279

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $106,624,831

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $112,853,995

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$6,229,164

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$6,229,164 · excluded -$6,229,164

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $23,838

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $10,543

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $13,295 · excluded $13,295

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $53,000 · program services $53,000

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $2,048,685 · program services $1,110,072 · management and general $391,382 · fundraising $547,231

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $6,708,904 · program services $4,349,567 · management and general $670,454 · fundraising $1,688,883

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $328,778 · program services $213,078 · management and general $36,408 · fundraising $79,292

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $908,594 · program services $581,130 · management and general $105,150 · fundraising $222,314

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $583,799 · program services $365,283 · management and general $70,289 · fundraising $148,227

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $499,477 · program services $275,976 · management and general $33,026 · fundraising $190,475

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $45,000 · management and general $45,000

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $157,876 · fundraising $157,876

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $871,726 · management and general $871,726

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $3,931,973 · program services $2,284,631 · management and general $228,400 · fundraising $1,418,942

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $6,353,479 · program services $6,353,479

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $199,031 · program services $85,377 · management and general $82,137 · fundraising $31,517

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $1,115,301 · program services $616,238 · management and general $73,745 · fundraising $425,318

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $947,568 · program services $592,893 · management and general $114,087 · fundraising $240,588

  • 17 · Travel

    total $213,035 · program services $134,995 · management and general $3,427 · fundraising $74,613

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $53,340 · program services $38,061 · management and general $5,311 · fundraising $9,968

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $339,295 · program services $212,296 · management and general $40,851 · fundraising $86,148

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $347,217 · program services $105,505 · management and general $241,712

  • 24a · Other expenses: PRINTING AND COPYING

    total $18,493,878 · program services $11,292,282 · management and general $2,223,651 · fundraising $4,977,945

  • 24b · Other expenses: POSTAGE AND DELIVERY

    total $11,693,970 · program services $7,117,772 · management and general $1,417,718 · fundraising $3,158,480

  • 24c · Other expenses: BANK AND CREDIT CARD FE

    total $980,314 · program services $0 · management and general $163,340 · fundraising $816,974

  • 24d · Other expenses: COURT COSTS

    total $373,560 · program services $372,305 · management and general $1,255

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $137,444 · program services $109,421 · management and general $24,291 · fundraising $3,732

  • 26 · Joint costs (an allocation of the lines above)

    total $27,099,034 · program services $18,728,770 · management and general $3,699,830 · fundraising $4,670,434

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year -$6,945 · end of year -$27,384

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $34,381,112 · end of year $36,521,790

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $8,448,123 · end of year $5,364,149

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $508,534 · end of year $1,019,099

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $65,710 · end of year $106,144

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $1,981,425 · end of year $2,744,115

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $4,945,081

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $3,119,859

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $2,088,246 · end of year $1,825,222

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $271,125,401 · end of year $273,041,993

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $41,956 · end of year $4,899,293

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $2,469,139 · end of year $2,745,753

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $4,054,204 · end of year $9,117,219

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $309,725,082 · end of year $310,613,384

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,385,137 · end of year $3,018,065

Mission and programs · 2022

Mission

TO PROMOTE INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT AND FIDELITY TO THE RULE OF LAW THROUGH PUBLIC ADVOCACY, LITIGATION AND MONITORING AND INVESTIGATING FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND OFFICIALS, AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO PROMOTE INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT AND FIDELITY TO THE RULE OF LAW THROUGH PUBLIC ADVOCACY, LITIGATION, AND MONITORING AND INVESTIGATING FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND OFFICIALS, AMONG OTHER ACTIVITIES.

  • PUBLIC EDUCATION - JUDICIAL WATCH FULFILLS ITS EDUCATIONAL MISSION BY DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ABOUT ITS PUBLIC ADVOCACY, LITIGATION, MONITORING AND INVESTIGATIONS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES, TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, AND EMAIL UPDATES AND BLOGS, AS WELL AS REGULAR MAILINGS, PERIODIC SPECIAL REPORTS AND OTHER PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORTS.

    Expenses $28,967,074 · Grants $53,000

  • LEGAL - JUDICIAL WATCH PROSECUTES NUMEROUS LAWSUITS, TYPICALLY ON ITS OWN BEHALF BUT ALSO ON BEHALF OF LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES, TO PROMOTE INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNMENT AND FIDELITY TO THE RULE OF LAW. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1994, JUDICIAL WATCH HAS PROSECUTED OR DEFENDED HUNDREDS OF LAWSUITS IN FURTHERANCE OF ITS PUBLIC INTEREST MISSION AND OBTAINED MANY NOTEWORTHY SUCCESSES.

    Expenses $4,998,847 · Revenue $39,346

  • INVESTIGATIONS/RESEARCH - JUDICIAL WATCH MONITORS AND INVESTIGATES THE ACTIONS OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS, TYPICALLY USING OPEN RECORDS LAWS SUCH AS THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1994, JUDICIAL WATCH HAS SERVED THOUSANDS OF OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS AND SECURED THE RELEASE OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PREVIOUSLY UNDISCLOSED GOVERNMENT RECORDS INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. JUDICIAL WATCH ALSO MAINTAINS DATABASES OF THE RECORDS IT OBTAINS AND MAKES THESE RECORDS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

    Expenses $2,297,440

As filed on the 2022 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Thomas J Fitton

    PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $610,275
    From this org
    $567,071
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $43,204
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $544,844
    Bonus
    $21,097
    Other
    $1,130
    Deferred
    $15,250
    Nontaxable benefits
    $27,954
    Filer's total
    $610,275

  • Paul J Orfanedes

    TREASURER, SECRETARY, DIRE

    Total calculated
    $570,540
    From this org
    $538,039
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $32,501
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $517,500
    Bonus
    $19,409
    Other
    $1,130
    Deferred
    $15,250
    Nontaxable benefits
    $17,251
    Filer's total
    $570,540

  • Christopher Farrell

    DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS

    Total calculated
    $491,691
    From this org
    $453,490
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,201
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $435,482
    Bonus
    $16,878
    Other
    $1,130
    Deferred
    $15,250
    Nontaxable benefits
    $22,951
    Filer's total
    $491,691

  • Steven Andersen

    DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $376,179
    From this org
    $337,037
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $39,142
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $323,248
    Bonus
    $12,659
    Other
    $1,130
    Deferred
    $15,250
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,892
    Filer's total
    $376,179

  • Thornton Nobel

    SENIOR ATTORNEY

    Total calculated
    $269,838
    From this org
    $229,994
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $39,844
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $219,951
    Bonus
    $8,913
    Other
    $1,130
    Deferred
    $12,326
    Nontaxable benefits
    $27,518
    Filer's total
    $269,838

  • Robert Patrick Sticht

    SENIOR ATTORNEY

    Total calculated
    $391,774
    From this org
    $353,157
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,617
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $338,789
    Bonus
    $13,242
    Other
    $1,126
    Deferred
    $15,250
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,367
    Filer's total
    $391,774

  • Robert Popper

    SENIOR ATTORNEY

    Total calculated
    $321,420
    From this org
    $286,590
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $34,830
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $274,927
    Bonus
    $10,533
    Other
    $1,130
    Deferred
    $14,566
    Nontaxable benefits
    $20,264
    Filer's total
    $321,420

  • John Albertella

    DIRECTOR OF DIRECT MARKETI

    Total calculated
    $309,616
    From this org
    $277,485
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $32,131
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $266,372
    Bonus
    $9,992
    Other
    $1,121
    Deferred
    $13,818
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,313
    Filer's total
    $309,616

  • Michael Bekesha

    ATTORNEY

    Total calculated
    $267,445
    From this org
    $238,893
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,552
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $229,215
    Bonus
    $8,597
    Other
    $1,081
    Deferred
    $11,888
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,664
    Filer's total
    $267,445

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 1a · Tax indemnification and gross-up payments
  • 2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 1b · Written policy on the line-1a expenses
  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 7
JUDICIAL WATCH PROVIDED A DISCRETIONARY BONUS TO ALL EMPLOYEES DURING 2022, AS APPROVED BY THE ORGANIZATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2022
Filed
20 November 2023
IRS schema version
2022v5.0
Source object
202323259349300717

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