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Table of Contents
Introduction
What the Freedom of Information Act
is and How to Use it
The Privacy
Act
What the Privacy Act is and How to
Use it
A Comparison of the Freedom of Information Act and the
Privacy Act Relationship between the Two Laws and Deciding Which to Use
Other Sources of Information
Introduction
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), enacted in 1966, provides that
any person has the right to request access to federal agency records or
information. Federal agencies are required to disclose records upon receiving
a written request for them, except for those records that are protected
from disclosure by any of the nine exemptions or three exclusions of the
FOIA. This right of access is enforceable in court.
In 1996, Congress revised the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by passing
the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments (EFOIA). The EFOIA
amendments provide for public access to information in an electronic format
and for the establishment of electronic FOIA reading rooms through agency
FOIA sites on the Internet. The primary source of FOIA-related information
on the Internet is the Justice Department's FOIA website (www.usdoj.gov/foia),
which contains links to the FOIA websites of other federal agencies.
The Privacy Act of 1974 is another federal law regarding federal government
records or information about individuals. The Privacy Act establishes
certain controls over how the executive branch agencies of the federal
government gather, maintain, and disseminate personal information. The
Privacy Act also can be used to obtain access to information, but it pertains
only to records that federal agencies keep about individual U.S. citizens
and lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens. The FOIA, on the other
hand, covers all records in the possession and control of federal executive
branch agencies.
This brochure provides basic guidance about the FOIA and the Privacy
Act to assist citizens in exercising their rights. It uses a question-and-answer
format to present information about these laws in a clear, simple manner.
The brochure is not intended to be a comprehensive treatment of the complex
issues associated with the FOIA and the Privacy Act.
The questions answered here are those frequently asked by persons who
contact the Federal
Citizen Information Center (FCIC) of the U.S. General Services Administration
for information on the FOIA and the Privacy Act. The answers were compiled
by the FCIC, along with the Justice Department-the agency responsible
for coordinating the administration of the FOIA and encouraging agency
compliance with it. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which has
a similar responsibility for the Privacy Act, reviewed the answers to
questions on that law.
What the Freedom of Information Act is and
How to Use it
What information is available
under the FOIA?
Can I find agency records on the Internet?
Whom do I contact in the federal government with my
request? How do I get the right address?
How do I request information under the FOIA?
May I request records in a specific format?
What is the cost for getting records under the FOIA?
How long will it take to answer my request?
Is there any way for me to speed up the response time?
What happens if the agency denies my request?
How do I appeal a denial?
What can I do if my appeal is denied?
What information is available under the
FOIA?
The FOIA provides access to all federal agency records (or portions of
those records), except for those records that are protected from disclosure
by any of nine exemptions or three exclusions (reasons for which an agency
may withhold records from a requester).
The exemptions cover:
(1) classified national defense and foreign relations information,
(2) internal agency rules and practices,
(3) information that is prohibited from disclosure by another law,
(4) trade secrets and other confidential business information,
(5) inter-agency or intra-agency communications that are protected by
legal privileges,
(6) information involving matters of personal privacy,
(7) certain information compiled for law enforcement purposes,
(8) information relating to the supervision of financial institutions,
and
(9) geological information on wells.
The three exclusions, which are rarely used, pertain to especially sensitive
law enforcement and national security matters.
Even if information is exempt from disclosure under the FOIA, the agency
still may disclose it as a matter of administrative discretion when it
is not prohibited by any law and would not cause any foreseeable harm.
The FOIA does not apply to Congress, the courts, or the central offices
of the White House, nor does it apply to records of state or local governments.
However, nearly all state governments have their own FOIA-type statutes.
You may request information about a state's records access law by writing
to the office of the attorney general of that state.
The FOIA does not require a private organization or business to release
any information directly to the public, whether it has been submitted
to the federal government or not. However, information submitted to the
federal government by such organizations or companies can be available
through a FOIA request if it is not protected by a FOIA exemption, such
as the one covering trade secrets and confidential business information.
Under the FOIA, you may request and receive by mail a copy of any record
that is in an agency's files and is not covered by one of the exemptions
or exclusions. For example, suppose you have heard that a certain toy
has been recalled as a safety hazard and you want to know the details.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission could help you by providing copies
of the recall documents. Perhaps you want to read the latest inspection
report on conditions at a nursing home certified for Medicare. Your local
Social Security office keeps such records on file. Or you might want to
know whether the Department of Veterans Affairs has a file that mentions
you. In all of these examples, you could use the FOIA to request information
from the appropriate federal agency.
When you make a FOIA request, you must describe the records that you
want as clearly and specifically as possible. If the agency cannot identify
and locate records that you have requested with a reasonable amount of
effort, it will not be able to assist you. While agencies strive to handle
all FOIA requests in a customer-friendly fashion, the FOIA does not require
them to do research for you, analyze data, answer written questions, or
in any other way create records in order to respond to a request.
Can I find agency records on the Internet?
Yes, and as a general rule, it is useful to look at the information that
an agency makes available on the Internet before making a FOIA request.
Agencies place a wide variety of information on their websites that is
very useful to the general public and describes their various programs
and activities. Additionally, under the EFOIA amendments, the FOIA now
requires that agencies make certain records available in their electronic
FOIA reading rooms on the Internet. For example, you may find certain
agency opinions, staff manuals, policy statements, and records frequently
requested under the FOIA that were created by the agency after November
1, 1996. If you prefer to see these records in paper form, you can visit
an agency's conventional FOIA reading room. You can find links to the
FOIA sites of federal agencies on the Internet by going to the Justice
Department's website.
Whom do I contact in the federal government
with my request? How do I get the right address?
There is no one office of the federal government that handles all FOIA
requests. Each FOIA request must be made to the particular agency that
has the records that you want. For example, if you want to know about
an investigation of motor vehicle defects, write to the Department of
Transportation. If you want information about a work-related accident
at a nearby manufacturing plant, write to the Department of Labor (at
its office in the region where the accident occurred). Most of the larger
federal agencies have several FOIA offices. Some have one for each major
bureau or component; others have one for each region of the country.
You may have to do a little research to find the proper agency office
to handle your FOIA request, but you will save time in the long run if
you send your request directly to the most appropriate office. For assistance,
you can contact the Federal
Citizen Information Center (FCIC) of the U.S. General Services Administration.
The FCIC is especially prepared to help you find the right agency, the
right office, and the right address. On the Internet, you can find addresses
of the FOIA offices of most federal agencies by going to the Justice Department's
website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Other
Agencies," and select " Principal
FOIA Contacts at Other Federal Agencies").
The U.S. Government
Manual, the official handbook of the federal government, may also
be useful. It describes the programs within each federal agency and lists
the names of top personnel and agency addresses. The Manual is available
at most public libraries and can be purchased from the Superintendent
of Documents (ordering instructions). Additionally,
each agency publishes FOIA regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) that contain the mailing addresses of its FOIA offices. (For example,
the Justice Department's FOIA regulations can be found in Volume 28 of
the CFR, Part 16.) The CFR is available at most public libraries. Also,
many agencies have placed their FOIA regulations on their FOIA sites on
the Internet.
How do I request information under
the FOIA?
In order to make a FOIA request, simply write a
letter to the appropriate agency. For the quickest possible handling,
mark both your letter and the envelope "Freedom of Information Act
Request." Although you do not have to give a record's title, you
should identify the records that you want as specifically as possible
to increase the likelihood that the agency will be able to locate them.
Any facts you can furnish about the time, place, authors, events, subjects,
and other details of the records will be helpful to the agency in deciding
where to search and in determining which records respond to your request,
saving you and the government time and money.
As a general rule, FOIA requesters are not required to state the reasons
why they are making their requests. You may do so if you think it might
help the agency to locate the records. If you are not sure whether the
records you want are exempt from disclosure, you may request them anyway.
Agencies often have the legal discretion to disclose exempt information
and, in line with the government's openness policy, they are encouraged
to do so whenever possible.
May I request records in a specific
format?
Yes, but the records may not be available in the requested format. If
you request records that already exist in an electronic format, the FOIA
requires agencies in almost all cases to provide these records to you
in that same format, if that is what you prefer. However, if you request
records that exist only in paper form, and would like them in some electronic
format, the agency is obligated to provide the records in that electronic
format only if it can do so with a reasonable amount of effort. The same
is true if you request that electronic records be provided to you in an
electronic format in which they do not already exist.
What is the cost for getting records under
the FOIA?
The FOIA permits agencies to charge fees to FOIA requesters. For noncommercial
requesters, an agency may charge only for the actual cost of searching
for records and the cost of making copies. Search fees usually range from
$15 to $40 per hour, depending upon the salary levels of the personnel
needed for the search. The charge for copying documents can be as little
as 10 cents per page at some agencies, but may be considerably more at
other agencies. For noncommercial requests, agencies will not charge for
the first two hours of search time or for the first 100 pages of document
copying. Agencies also will not charge if the total cost is minimal. An
agency should notify you before proceeding with a request that will involve
large fees, unless your request letter already states your willingness
to pay fees as large as that amount. If fees are charged, you may request
a waiver of those fees if you can show that the records, when disclosed
to you, will contribute significantly to the public's understanding of
the operations or activities of the government.
How long will it take to answer my request?
Under the FOIA, federal agencies are required to respond to your request
within 20 working days of receipt (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and federal
holidays). If you have not received a response by the end of that time
(allowing for mailing time), you may telephone the agency or write a follow-up
letter to ask about the status of your request. Sometimes an agency may
need more than 10 working days to find the records, examine them, possibly
consult other persons or agencies, decide whether to disclose all of the
information requested, and prepare the records for disclosure. Agencies
may extend this 20-day period up to 10 more working days, with written
notice to you. Some agencies, particularly law enforcement agencies, receive
large numbers of requests, many of which involve voluminous records or
require exceptional care to process. If an agency has a backlog of requests
that were received before yours and has assigned a reasonable portion
of its staff to work on the backlog, the agency ordinarily will handle
requests on a first-come, first-served basis and may not respond to all
requests within the statutory time period. The FOIA allows an agency to
set up processing categories so that simple requests do not have to wait
to be handled because a more complicated request was received by the agency
first.
Is there any way for me to speed up the
response time?
If an agency is unable to respond to your request in time, it may ask
you to modify your request so that you can receive a response more quickly.
Generally, it takes agencies less time to process simple requests involving
a small number of records. Complex requests, involving a greater number
of records, can take considerably more time to process. Therefore, you
and an agency FOIA Officer may want to discuss narrowing the scope of
your request to speed up the response time or to agree on an alternative
time frame for record processing.
Another means of obtaining a faster response is to ask the agency for
"expedited processing" of your request. However, you should
know that the agency will grant this request only under very specific
circumstances. In order to qualify, you must certify that there is an
imminent threat to the life or physical safety of an individual or, if
you are a member of the news media, you must demonstrate that there is
an urgency to inform the public about certain federal government activity.
An agency must decide whether to grant a request for expedited processing
within 10 days. In their individual regulations, agencies may establish
other ways for requesters to obtain expedited processing.
What happens if the agency denies my request?
If the agency locates records in response to your request, it can withhold
them (or any portion of them) only if they are exempt from disclosure.
If an agency denies your request, in whole or in part, it ordinarily must
provide an estimate of the amount of material withheld, state the reason(s)
for the denial and inform you of your right to appeal to a higher decisionmaking
level within the agency.
How do I appeal a denial?
In order to appeal a denial, promptly send a letter to the agency. Most
agencies require that appeals be made within 30 to 60 days after you receive
notification of a denial. The denial letter should tell you the office
to which your appeal letter should be addressed. For the quickest possible
handling, you should mark both your request letter and the envelope "Freedom
of Information Act Appeal."
Simply ask the agency to review your FOIA request and its denial decision.
It is a good idea also to give your reason(s) for believing that the denial
was wrong. Be sure to refer to any pertinent communications you have had
with the agency on the request and include any number the agency may have
assigned to your request. It can save time in acting on your appeal if
you include copies of your FOIA request and the agency's denial letter.
You do not need to enclose copies of any documents released to you. Under
the FOIA, the agency has 20 working days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays,
and federal holidays) to decide your appeal. Under certain circumstances,
it may also take an extension of up to 10 working days. At some agencies,
as with initial requests, some appeals may take longer to decide.
What can I do if my appeal is denied?
If the agency denies your appeal, or does not respond within the statutory
time period, you may take the matter to court. You can file a FOIA lawsuit
in the U.S. District Court where you live, where you have your principal
place of business, where the documents are kept, or in the District of
Columbia. In court, the agency will have to prove that any withheld information
is covered by one of the exemptions listed in the law. If you win a substantial
portion of your case and your lawsuit is found to be a matter of public
interest, the court may require the government to pay court costs and
reasonable attorney's fees for you.
What the Privacy Act is and How to Use
it
What is the Privacy Act?
What information can I request under the Privacy Act?
Whom do I contact in the federal government with my request?
How do I get the right address?
How do I know if an agency has a file on me?
How do I request information under the Privacy Act?
What is the cost for getting records under the Privacy
Act?
How long will it take to answer my request?
What if I find that a federal agency has incorrect
information about me in its files?
What can I do if I am denied information requested
under the Privacy Act?
What is the relationship between the FOIA and the Privacy
Act?
Can I request information about other people?
What is the Privacy Act?
The federal government compiles a wide range of information on individuals.
For example, if you were ever in the military or employed by a federal
agency, there should be records of your service. If you have ever applied
for a federal benefit or received a student loan guaranteed by the government,
you are probably the subject of a file. There are records on every individual
who has ever paid income taxes or received a check from Social Security
or Medicare.
The Privacy Act,
passed by Congress in 1974, establishes certain controls over what personal
information is collected by the federal government and how it is used.
This law guarantees three primary rights:
(1) the right to see records about oneself, subject to the Privacy Act's
exemptions;
(2) the right to amend a nonexempt record if it is inaccurate, irrelevant,
untimely, or incomplete; and
(3) the right to sue the government for violations of the statute, such
as permitting unauthorized individuals to read your records.
The Privacy Act also provides for certain limitations on agency information
practices, such as requiring that information about an individual be collected
from that individual to the greatest extent practicable; requiring agencies
to ensure that their records are accurate, relevant, timely, and complete;
and prohibiting agencies from maintaining information describing how an
individual exercises his or her First Amendment rights unless the individual
consents to it, a statute permits it, or it is within the scope of an
authorized law enforcement investigation.
What information can I request under
the Privacy Act?
The Privacy Act applies only to records about individuals maintained
by agencies in the executive branch of the federal government. It applies
to these records only if they are in a "system of records,"
which means they are retrieved by an individual's name, Social Security
number, or some other personal identifier. In other words, the Privacy
Act does not apply to information about individuals in records that are
filed under other subjects, such as organizations or events, unless the
agency also indexes and retrieves them by individual names or other personal
identifiers.
There are 10 exemptions to the Privacy Act under which an agency can
withhold certain kinds of information from you. Examples of exempt records
are those containing classified information on national security and those
concerning criminal investigations. Another exemption often used by agencies
is that which protects information that would identify a confidential
source. For example, if an investigator questions a person about your
qualifications for federal employment and that person agrees to answer
only if his identity is protected, then his name or any information that
would identify him can be withheld. The 10 exemptions are set out in the
law.
If you are interested in more details, you should read the Privacy Act
in its entirety. Though this law is too lengthy to publish as part of
this brochure, it is readily available. It is printed in the U.S. Code
(Section 552a of Title 5), which can be found in many public and school
libraries. You may also order a copy of the Privacy Act of 1974, Public
Law 93-579, from the Superintendent of Documents (ordering
instructions). Also, the full text of the Privacy Act is available
on the Justice Department's FOIA site on the Internet. Go to the Justice
Department's website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Reference
Materials," and scroll down to the " Text
of the Privacy Act").
Whom do I contact in the federal government
with my request? How do I get the right address?
As with the FOIA, no one office handles all Privacy Act requests. To
locate the proper agency to handle your request, follow the same guidelines
as for the Freedom of Information Act.
How do I know if an agency has a file on
me?
If you think a particular agency has a file pertaining to you, you may
write to the Privacy Act Officer or head of the agency. Agencies are generally
required to inform you, upon request, whether or not they have files on
you. In addition, agencies are required to report publicly the existence
of all systems of records they keep on individuals. The Office of the
Federal Register makes available on the Internet a compilation of each
agency's systems of records notices, including exemptions, as well as
its Privacy Act regulations. The Privacy Act Issuances Compilation is
updated every two years and can be found at www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs.
How do I request information under
the Privacy Act?
Write a letter to the agency that
you believe may have a file pertaining to you. Address your request to
the agency's Privacy Act Officer. Be sure to write "Privacy Act Request"
clearly on both the letter and the envelope.
Most agencies require some proof of identity before they will give you
your records. Therefore, it is a good idea to enclose proof of identity
(such as a copy of your driver's license) with your full name and address.
Do not send the original documents. Remember to sign your request for
information, since your signature is a form of identification. If an agency
needs more proof of identity before releasing your files, it will let
you know.
Give as much information as possible as to why you believe the agency
has records about you. The agency should process your request or contact
you for additional information.
Keep a copy of your request. You may need to refer to it in further correspondence
with the agency.
What is the cost for getting records
under the Privacy Act?
Under the Privacy Act, an agency can only charge for the cost of copying
records, not for time spent locating them.
How long will it take to answer my
request?
Under the terms of the Privacy Act, the agency is not required to reply
to a request within a given period of time. However, most agencies have
adopted the FOIA response times. If you do not receive any response within
four weeks or so, you might wish to write again, enclosing a copy of your
original request.
What if I find that a federal agency
has incorrect information about me in its files?
The Privacy Act requires agencies maintaining personal information about
individuals to keep accurate, relevant, timely, and complete files. If,
after seeing your file, you believe that it contains incorrect information
and should be amended, write to the agency official who released the record
to you. Include all pertinent documentation for each change you are requesting.
The agency will let you know if further proof is needed. The law requires
an agency to notify you of the receipt of such an amendment request within
10 working days of receipt. If your request for amendment is granted,
the agency will tell you precisely what will be done to amend the record.
You may appeal any denial. Even if an agency denies your appeal, you have
the right to submit a statement explaining why you think the record is
wrong and the agency must attach your statement to any nonexempt records
involved. The agency must also inform you of your right to go to court
and have a judge review the denial of your appeal.
What can I do if I am denied information
requested under the Privacy Act?
There is no required procedure for Privacy Act appeals, but an agency
should advise you of its own appeal procedure when it makes a denial.
Should the agency deny your appeal, you may take the matter to court.
If you win your case, you may be awarded court costs and attorney's fees.
What is the relationship between the FOIA
and the Privacy Act?
Although the two laws were enacted for different purposes, there is some
similarity in their provisions. Both the FOIA and the Privacy Act give
people the right to request access to records held by agencies of the
federal government. The FOIA's access rights are given to "any person,"
but the Privacy Act's access rights are given only to the individual who
is the subject of the records sought (if that individual is a U.S. citizen
or a lawfully admitted permanent resident alien).
The FOIA applies to all federal agency records. The Privacy Act, however,
applies to only those federal agency records that are in "systems
of records" containing information about individuals that is retrieved
by the use of a name or personal identifier. Each law has a somewhat different
set of fees, time limits, and exemptions from its right of access.
If the information you want pertains to the activities of a federal agency,
an organization, or some person other than yourself, you should make your
request under the FOIA, which covers all agency records. If the information
you want is about yourself, you should make the request also under the
Privacy Act, which covers most records of agencies that pertain to individuals.
Sometimes you can use the FOIA to get records about yourself that are
not in a Privacy Act "system of records." If you are in doubt
about which law applies or would better suit your needs, you may refer
to both in your request letter. If you request records about yourself
and the Privacy Act applies, the agency should process the request under
both the FOIA and the Privacy Act and withhold requested information from
you only if it is exempt under both laws.
Can I request information about other
people?
Yes, but it might be withheld to protect their personal privacy. The
FOIA contains two very important provisions concerning personal privacy:
Exemption 6 and Exemption 7(C). They protect you from others who may seek
information about you, but they also may prevent you from obtaining information
about others. The FOIA's Exemption 6 permits an agency to withhold information
about individuals if disclosing it would be "a clearly unwarranted
invasion of personal privacy." This includes, for example, almost
all of the information in medical and financial benefit files and much
of the information in personnel files. Exemption 7(C) similarly protects
personal privacy interests in law enforcement records. To decide whether
to withhold information under these two FOIA privacy exemptions, an agency
must balance personal privacy interests against any public interest that
would be served by disclosure. Neither Exemption 6 nor Exemption 7(C)
can be used to deny you access to information about yourself, only to
deny you information about other persons.
Other Sources of Information
Federal Citizen Information Center
The Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) of the U.S. General Services
Administration administers a national contact center which can help you
find information about the federal government's agencies, services, and
programs. You may ask the contact center for assistance in contacting
the proper federal agency with your Freedom of Information Act or Privacy
Act request.
Simply call toll-free 1-800-FED-INFO (that's 1-800-333-4636) from anywhere
in the United States. The contact center is open for personal assistance
from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal
holidays. Recorded information on frequently requested subjects is available
around the clock.
You may also visit the contact center's website at www.pueblo.gsa.gov/call
(under "Our Frequently Asked Questions," click on "Freedom
of Information" or "Privacy").
A text version of this publication is available on the FCIC's website
at www.pueblo.gsa.gov (click on
"Federal Programs,"
and scroll down to this publication's title) and the Justice Department's
website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Reference
Materials," and scroll down to this publication's title).
In addition, the FCIC publishes the free Consumer
Information Catalog, which lists more than 200 free and low-cost federal
booklets on a wide variety of consumer topics. For a free copy of the
Catalog, write to Consumer Information Catalog, Pueblo, CO 81009, or call
toll-free 1-800-FED-INFO (that's 1-800-333-4636). The Catalog is also
available through FCIC's website at www.pueblo.gsa.gov.
U.S. Government Manual
The U.S. Government Manual is the official handbook of the federal government.
Published by the National Archives and Records Administration, it describes
the programs in each federal agency, lists the names of top personnel,
the mailing address, and a general information telephone number. It is
available in most public libraries or can be purchased by sending a check
or money order to the Superintendent of Documents, PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh,
PA 15250-7954. For pricing and ordering information, call toll-free 1-866-512-1800.
The text version is available on the U.S. Government Printing Office's
website at www.access.gpo.gov/nara/nara001.html
The Privacy Act of 1974
This law gives citizens the right to see files about themselves, subject
to its exemptions; to request an amendment if a nonexempt record is inaccurate,
irrelevant, untimely, or incomplete; and to sue the government for permitting
others to see their files unless specifically permitted by the law. A
complete copy of the Privacy Act can be found at Section 552a of Title
5 of the U.S. Code. Or you may order a copy of the Privacy Act, Public
Law 93-579, from the Superintendent of Documents, PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh,
PA 15250-7954. For pricing and ordering information, call toll-free 1-866-512-1800.
A text version is available on the Justice Department's website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Reference
Materials," and scroll down to the " Text
of the Privacy Act").
A Citizen's Guide on Using the Freedom of Information Act
and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records
This booklet, written by the Committee on Government Reform, U.S. House
of Representatives, provides a much more detailed explanation of the Freedom
of Information Act and the Privacy Act than this brochure. It may be purchased
from the Superintendent of Documents, PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954.
To order by telephone, call toll-free 1-866-512-1800. Text and Portable
Document Format (PDF) versions are available online at www.house.gov/reform/reports.htm.
Freedom of Information Act Guide and Privacy Act Overview
This book is updated every other year by the Justice Department's Office
of Information and Privacy. The "Justice Department's Guide to the
Freedom of Information Act," is a comprehensive summary of the law
that includes a discussion of the nine FOIA exemptions and its most important
procedural aspects. The "Privacy Act Overview," prepared in
coordination with the Office of Management and Budget, is a discussion
of the provisions of the Privacy Act. The book also contains the texts
of both statutes. It may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents,
PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. For pricing and ordering information,
call toll-free 1-866-512-1800. Text versions are available on the Justice
Department's website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Reference
Materials," and then click on the name of each document).
Freedom of Information Case List
This book, updated in 2002 by the Justice Department's Office of Information
and Privacy, contains lists of cases decided under the Freedom of Information
Act, the Privacy Act, the Government in the Sunshine Act, and the Federal
Advisory Committee Act. The book includes the texts of those four statutes
and a list of related law review articles. For pricing and ordering information,
call toll-free 1-866-512-1800. A text version is available on the Justice
Department's website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Reference
Materials," and then click on "Freedom
of Information Case List").
FOIA Update
This newsletter, published by the Justice Department's Office of Information
and Privacy from 1979-2000, contained information and guidance for federal
agencies. All back issues are available and keyword searchable on the
Justice Department's website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Reference
Materials,"and then click on "FOIA
Update").
FOIA Post
This Web-based successor to FOIA Update has been published by the Justice
Department's Office of Information and Privacy as of 2001. Articles of
FOIA-related information and guidance are published on an as-needed basis.
It can be found on the Justice Department's website at www.usdoj.gov/foia
(click on "Reference
Materials," and then click on "FOIA
Post").
A joint publication of |