We recently posted a list of agencies that have taken a step that makes it easier for us to resolve Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) disputes. These agencies have a Privacy Act “routine use” that allows the agency to share with OGIS information about FOIA request and appeal files. Agencies store FOIA case files in … Continue reading An Easy Way to Help Us Resolve FOIA Disputes
Do you or your colleagues need help sharpening your communications skills? Would you like to hear tips for avoiding or narrowing disputes with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requesters? OGIS is here to help! As you might know, about twice each fiscal year we plan day-long dispute resolution skills training sessions for agency FOIA professionals. … Continue reading Planting the Seeds of Dispute Resolution
During my relatively short tenure as the Director of OGIS, I have endeavored to strengthen and mature OGIS’s mediation and compliance programs. Miriam Nisbet and all of the OGIS staff are to be commended for doing the very hard work of setting up and running a new government program. When I first walked through the … Continue reading Farewell from Director Holzer
As we have discussed the last few weeks, still interested letters are a source of great frustration for many Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requesters and can give requesters the appearance that an agency’s FOIA process does not work. For those of you new to the issue, still interested letters refer to correspondence that an … Continue reading OGIS Recommendations Regarding Agency Use of Still Interested Letters
As we reported last week, data on the historical use of “still interested” letters cannot capture the full effect that the letters have on FOIA requesters but show that agencies close very few requests using these letters. For Part 2 of our review of still interested letters, we followed up with seven FOIA programs to … Continue reading Further Findings on the Use of “Still Interested” Letters
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