Questions about government Freedom of Information laws.
The U.S. federal Freedom of Information Act's official site can be found here for reference.
Questions tagged [foia]
43 questions
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Where can FOIA requests be found?
United States federal (e.g. FOIA) and state law allow people to request public records. The requests themselves are public record. Does any public or private entity maintain a database of those requests?
Josh Johnson
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Are U.S. government agencies required to disclose whether or not they record conversations?
Let's say I'm inside a U.S. government building, which houses a government agency, and I'm speaking with an employee (or agent) of that government agency.
If I directly ask them whether they are recording our conversation, and I ask them whether…
Giffyguy
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FOIA request takes too long
I submitted a FOIA request to State Dept. of the United States. The FOIA request was immediately acknowledged, assigned a number and I was notified that it is being processed. This was some 180 days ago. I queried several times on the status of FOIA…
i_prob_should_know_this
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May NH police legally keep secret the number of bullets purchased
I asked a few questions of my government and phrased it as an open records request. I got an answer on half of them and a response on all of them.
The police claim they cannot answer the question, 'How many bullets did the police purchase for 2010…
haleonj
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Sworn statement from Chief of Staff on President's intent:isn't that hearsay?
Trump made two tweets (here and here) which (on a surface reading) would seem to be him ordering the complete declassification of all documents related to the Russian investigation. In response, several FOIA suits were filed demanding those…
Matthew Cline
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Are schools required to disclose accurate results of random drug searches?
I go to a school which has a serious problem with underage vape usage. The police sometimes conducts random drug searches, and after every search, parents are informed via email. Each email has consistently said that the search did not find any…
user12309
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Why does "Day 1" of the 20-day response time limit for FOIA requests begin the day AFTER agency receipt of a request?
Why does "Day 1" of the 20-day response time limit for FOIA requests begin the day AFTER [the proper component in an] agency receives a perfected request?
I understand that under Rule 6 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure computation works that…
Custom Soundtrack
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Are search warrants public records?
Are search warrants public records? Does it matter whether an investigation ended up resulting in a prosecution? If so, does it matter whether the case goes to trial? If so, does it matter whether the prosecution is successful (defendant is…
Dr. Mario
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FOIA request and Commercial use - Sales Tax info
I was considering doing a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request and noticed the stipulation about putting the information gained to commercial use. That seems maybe a little broadly worded, because I would like to request information about sales…
pspahn
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PA Right to Know Law : could a person ask the local police department what records or information they have on a former resident of the town?
This specifically concerns Right to Know Law in the State of Pennsylvania
Under PA Right to Know law, could a person ask the local police department what records or information they have on a former resident of the town?
Nikola Tesla
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Can Donald Trump's Tax Returns be obtained through a Freedom of Information Request?
The IRS, which is part Federal Government clearly has copies of Donald Trump's Tax Returns. Can these be obtained through a Freedom of Information request, given the public's legitimate interest in the matter?
SteveS
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Can a FOIA request reveal how many times I have entered the U.S. as a citizen?
I know there are certain restrictions on personal information for FOIA requests, and verification of such is required beforehand. Even so, should this information be accessible? If so, to which agency do I submit the request?
Additionally, I known…
Charles Nicholson
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What does it take to get an "advisory opinion" out of my public access ombudsman?
According to statute, my state has a public access ombudsman who is to oversee the state's freedom of access laws. (Kind of like the FOIA at the federal level.) According to statute the…
Mr. A
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How can I obtain a NY LLC Biennial Statement?
In New York, limited liability corporations are required to file biennial reports.
Are these biennial reports public documents, and if so, how can a member of the public get a copy of an LLC's biennial reports?
Cicero
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Are state marriage records publicly accessible online?
Are state marriage records publicly accessible online? Is there a database (free or subscription-only) where such information can be found?
Geremia
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