| FOIA/PA request |
Freedom of
Information Act/Privacy Act request. A FOIA request is generally a request
for access to records concerning a third party, an organization, or a
particular topic of interest. A Privacy Act request is a request for
records concerning oneself; such requests are also treated as FOIA
requests. (All requests for access to records, regardless of which law is
cited by the requester, are included in this report.) |
| Initial Request |
A request
to a federal agency for access to records under the Freedom of Information
Act. |
| Appeal |
A request to a
federal agency asking that it review, at a higher administrative level, a
full denial or partial denial of access to records under the Freedom of
Information Act, or any other FOIA determination such as a matter
pertaining to fees. |
| Processed Request or Appeal |
A request or appeal for which an agency has taken a final action on the
request or the appeal in all respects. |
| Multi-track processing |
A
system in which simple requests requiring relatively minimal review are
placed in one processing track and more voluminous and complex requests
are placed in one or more other tracks. Requests in each track are
processed on a first-in/first-out basis. A requester who has an urgent
need for records may request expedited processing (see below). |
| Expedited processing |
Tthe
agency will process a FOIA request on an expedited basis when a requester
has shown an exceptional need or urgency for the records which warrants
prioritization of his or her request over other requests that were made
earlier. |
| Simple request |
A FOIA
request that is placed in its fastest (nonexpedited) track based on the
volume and/or simplicity of records requested. |
| Complex request |
A FOIA
request that is placed in a slower track based on the volume and/or
complexity of records requested. |
| Grant |
An agency decision
to disclose all records in full in response to an FOIA request. |
| Partial grant |
An agency
decision to disclose a record in part in response to a FOIA request,
deleting information determined to be exempt under one or more of the
FOIA’s exemptions; or a decision to disclose some records in their
entireties, but to withhold others in whole or in part. |
| Denial |
An agency decision
not to release any part of a record or records in response to a FOIA
request because all the information in the requested records is determined
by the agency to be exempt under one or more of the FOIA’s exemptions, for
some procedural reason (such as because no record is located in response
to a FOIA request). |
| Time limits |
The time
period in the Freedom of Information Act for an agency to respond to a FOIA request. |
| "Perfected" request |
A FOIA
request for records which adequately describes the records sought, which
has been received by the FOIA office of the agency or agency component in
possession of the records, and for which there is no remaining question
about the payment of applicable fees. |
| Exemption 3 statute |
A
separate federal statute prohibiting the disclosure of a certain type of
information and authorizing its withholding under FOIA subsection (b)(3). |
| Median number |
The middle,
not average, number. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the median number is 7. |
| Average number |
The number
obtained by dividing the sum of a group of numbers by the quantity of
numbers in the group. For example, of 3, 7, and 14, the average number is
8. |
