Useful Links
We welcome suggestions to expand these listings. Last updated 3/24/24.
Text of FOIA
5 U.S.C. § 552 (via Legal Information Institute)
5 U.S.C. § 552 (DOJ's version highlighting 2016 amendments)
FOIA Overview
FOIA.gov -- video presentation on website managed by the Department of Justice (DOJ)
Georgetown Law Library -- research guide that discusses how to use FOIA
A Citizen’s Guide on Using the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records (Sept. 2012) -- report by the House Committee on Government Reform
Your Right to Federal Records: Questions and Answers on the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act (July 2011) -- joint publication of the General Services Administration and the Department of Justice
Effective FOIA Requesting for Everyone: A National Security Archive Guide (2008)
Transparency 101: Judicial Watch FOIA Handbook (last updated 2013)
FOIA Wiki -- collaborative resource from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
How to Make a Request for Federal Records
FOIA.gov -- government-operated portal for submitting FOIA requests
FOIA Machine -- free request letter generator for federal and state/local records
MuckRock -- commercial request service for federal and state/local records
Requester Best Practices: Filing a FOIA Request, Office of Government Information Services -- recommendations from the Federal FOIA Ombudsman
Pen to Paper: Writing a FOIA Request, in Effective FOIA Requesting for Everyone: A National Security Archive Guide (2008)
American Bar Association -- a guide to making requests for immigration, tax, and criminal records
Public Citizen -- providing guidance on how to file a request.
Federal court cases
DOJ Court Decisions -- searchable database of FOIA decisions as of 2013
DOJ FOIA Guide to the Freedom of Information Act -- legal treatise authored by DOJ's Office of Information Policy (OIP)
The FOIA Project -- searchable database of FOIA lawsuits from Oct. 1996 to present (see "News" and "FOIA Lawsuits")
Access Reports -- newsletter with case summaries; paid subscription required
Google Scholar -- opinions retrievable by search terms
Justia -- links to opinions from all federal courts
Westlaw, Lexis/Nexis, Bloomberg Law -- online legal research services; paid subscriptions required
Federal government-issued guidance
DOJ Guide to the Freedom of Information Act -- legal treatise authored by DOJ/OIP
DOJ/OIP Guidance (2008 to present)
DOJ/OIP FOIA Post (2000-2010)
DOJ/OIP FOIA Update (1979-2000)
Office of Management and Budget FOIA Fee Schedule and Guidance (Mar.27, 1987), revised Dec. 17, 2020
White House and DOJ memoranda on consulting with White House Counsel (1988-2009)
Attorney General Garland’s FOIA Memorandum (Mar. 15, 2022)
Attorney General Holder’s FOIA Memorandum (Mar. 19, 2009) -- setting forth DOJ’s FOIA litigation policy
Office of Government Information Services -- disseminating “best practices” for FOIA requesters and federal agencies
How to File an Administrative FOIA Appeal
FOIA Wiki, Administrative Appeals
A Second Look: Appealing Agency Denials, in Effective FOIA Requesting for Everyone: A National Security Archive Guide (2008)
Sample FOIA Administrative Appeals (internal FOIA Advisor link)
How to File a FOIA Lawsuit
Pro Se Help, U.S. District Court for District of Columbia -- instructions and forms for filing a lawsuit without an attorney
Litigation Under the Federal Open Government Laws, Electronic Privacy Information Center (2010 ed.) (guide for sale)
A Step-By-Step Guide to Filing a FOIA Lawsuit, American Immigration Council (2023)
The FOIA Project -- searchable database of FOIA complaints
Sample FOIA Complaints -- categorized by issue (internal FOIA Advisor link)
Reverse FOIA: Protecting Trade Secrets and Confidential Business Information
Reverse FOIA, in DOJ Guide to the Freedom of Information Act (last updated Jan. 27, 2023)
My Contract’s Been FOIA’d! Now What?, NASA (Mar. 20, 2014) (PowerPoint)
Protecting Your Company's Trade Secrets and Confidential Information in Government Contracting, Fox Rothschild LLP (Oct. 2009)
Sample letter objecting to disclosure, Steptoe & Johnson LLP on behalf of Yahoo! Inc. (Sept. 15, 2009)
Sample letter requesting confidential treatment, Aetna Life Insurance Co. to HHS (May 3, 2013)
Sample Complaint seeking to prevent disclosure, Sanofi-Aventis v. FDA, No. 13-1753 (D.D.C. Nov. 6, 2013)
FOIA legislative history
FOIA Legislative Materials, DOJ/OIP
FOIA Legislative History, National Security Archive
Collections of government records
Government Attic -- searchable collection of eclectic federal records, including agency logs of FOIA requests
MuckRock -- federal and state/local records obtained by MuckRock users who have consented to disclosure
Transparency Project -- searchable collection of documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation
AltGov 2/The Memory Hole 2 -- sites formerly run by writer and anthologist Russ Kick (1969-2021)
FOIA News
MuckRock/News, original reporting, commentary, and analysis of public records
Unredacted, blog by the National Security Archive
Maximum Disclosure, substack by Max Eichelberger
Requests Under the Privacy Act of 1974
Reconciling FOIA and the Privacy Act, Office of Government Information Services
OIP Guidance: The Interface Between the FOIA and Privacy Act, Office of Information Policy
A Citizen’s Guide on Using the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974 to Request Government Records (Sept. 2012) -- report by the House Committee on Government Reform
Your Right to Federal Records: Questions and Answers on the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act (July 2011) -- joint publication of the General Services Administration and the Department of Justice
Overview of the Privacy Act of 1974, DOJ, Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties (2020) -- comprehensive guide to the statute
How to Make a Request for State and Local Records
Public Records Letter Generator, Student Press Law Center -- helps create a simple request for records held by a state or local government agency
FOIA Machine -- free request service for federal and state/local records
MuckRock -- commercial request service for federal and state/local records
Software for Government Agencies
GovQA -- GovQA “is used by more state and local government agencies than any other solution.”
FOIAXpress -- FOIAExpress is “North America’s leading FOIA request tracking and management software.”
NextRequest -- NextRequest’s records request software “empowers organizations to collaborate remotely and asynchronously.”
JustFOIA -- JustFOIA is “the easiest-to-use records requests software that manages every step of the process from intake to delivery.”
Casepoint -- Casepoint FOIA “equips agencies with enterprise-grade tools to simplify the handling of FOIA requests.”
State Freedom of Information resources
National Freedom of Information Coalition -- listing all state open records laws, sample request letters for all states, and freedom of information hotline numbers
Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press -- compendium of all state open records and open meetings laws
Society of Professional Journalists – provides step-by-step guides, letter generators, and state contact information
Brechner Center for Freedom of Information -- a part of the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida, which maintains a variety of freedom of information resources
New York Department of State Committee on Open Government -- state agency whose website includes a searchable database of advisory opinions and reference material concerning New York’s Freedom of Information Law
Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council -- state agency whose website includes a searchable database of advisory opinions and reference material concerning Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act
Freedom of Information Advocacy Organizations
American Library Association -- ALA is “the oldest and largest library association in the world, providing association information, news, events, and advocacy resources for members, librarians, and library users.”
American Oversight -- American Oversight is a “non-partisan, nonprofit ethics watchdog and is the top Freedom of Information Act litigator investigating the Trump administration.”
Cause of Action Institute -- CoA is a “a 501(c)(3) oversight group advocating for economic freedom and individual opportunity advanced by honest, accountable, and limited government.”
Center for Effective Government -- CEG aims “to build an open, accountable government that invests in the common good, protects people and the environment, and advances the national priorities defined by an active, informed citizenry.”
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington -- CREW “is dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials who sacrifice the common good to special interests.”
Electronic Frontier Foundation -- EFF works “to ensure that rights and freedoms are enhanced and protected as our use of technology grows.”
Electronic Privacy Information Center -- “EPIC works to protect privacy, freedom of expression, democratic values, and to promote the Public Voice in decisions concerning the future of the Internet.”
freedominfo.org -- "freedominfo.org is a one-stop portal that describes best practices, consolidates lessons learned, explains campaign strategies and tactics, and links the efforts of freedom of information advocates around the world."
Judicial Watch -- Judicial Watch is a “conservative” organization that “uses the open records or freedom of information laws and other tools to investigate and uncover misconduct by government officials and litigation to hold to account politicians and public officials who engage in corrupt activities.”
MuckRock -- MuckRock is “a collaborative news site that brings together journalists, researchers, activists, and regular citizens to request, analyze & share government documents.”
National Freedom of Information Coalition -- NFOIC is an “alliance of citizen-driven nonprofit freedom of information organizations, academic and First Amendment centers, journalistic societies and attorneys.” In addition to awarding grants, NFOIC serves as an education and outreach resource for state and local governments on open government issues.
National Security Archive -- NSA is “a non-governmental research institute and library located at the George Washington University that collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.”
Project on Government Oversight -- POGO investigates “systemic corruption, undue influence, or other misconduct impacting the federal government.”
Public Citizen -- Founded by Ralph Nader in 1971, Public Citizen represents “consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts.”
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press -- RCFP provides “free legal advice, resources, support and advocacy to protect the First Amendment and Freedom of Information rights of journalists.”
Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse -- TRAC is a data gathering, data research and data distribution organization at Syracuse University; it operates the FOIA Project, a database of FOIA lawsuits and statistical information.