Have you ever spent far too long searching for something on an agency’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) website or thought to yourself, “there are certain types of information that every agency should include on its FOIA website”? If so, mark your calendars and reserve your seat for the June 16, 2016 Requester Roundtable on … Continue reading June 16 Requester Roundtable on FOIA Websites
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
Since late last summer, the OGIS Compliance Team has been taking a close look at a controversial practice that some agencies use to close Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The term “still interested letter” is shorthand for correspondence an agency sends to requesters requiring them to affirm that they remain interested in the requested … Continue reading A Deep Dive into the Use of “Still Interested” Letters
It looks like FOIA requesters won’t be able to use their favorite access law to find out what really happened to Jon Snow. Last week the #FOIA Twittersphere was buzzing with news that an enterprising reporter had filed an unexpected Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request; she requested the advanced copies (or “screeners”) of the … Continue reading Game of Thrones FOIA Requesters Face “Stark” Reality
If you are in the DC area (or will be next week), be sure to reserve your seat for the April 19th meeting for the FOIA Advisory Committee! The meeting will be held at the National Archives and Records Administration, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in the Archivist’s Reception Room (Room 105) from 10 a.m.– 1 … Continue reading RSVP for the April 19th FOIA Advisory Committee Meeting
Interested in an assessment of your agency’s FOIA program conducted by a team of FOIA subject-matter experts? Wonder how your agency can be added to the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) assessment calendar? Let us help with some sample language for the Agency officials or Chief FOIA Officer at your agency to use in … Continue reading Let Us Help You: Seeking an OGIS Assessment
You must be logged in to post a comment.