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The Freedom of Information Act Guide is an overview discussion of the FOIA's exemptions, its law enforcement record exclusions, and its most important procedural aspects. Prepared by the staff of the Office of InforĀmation and Privacy, it is updated and revised biennially. Any inquiry about the points addressed below, or regarding matters of FOIA adminisĀtration or interpretation, should be made to the Office of Information and Privacy through its FOIA Counselor service, at (202) 514-3642 (514-FOIA), ordinarily after initial consultation with an agency FOIA officer.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- INTRODUCTION
- FOIA READING ROOMS AND WEB SITES
- FOIA Reading Rooms
- FOIA Web Sites
- PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS
- Executive Order 13,392
- Entities Subject to the FOIA
- "Agency Records"
- FOIA Requesters
- Proper FOIA Requests
- Time Limits
- Expedited Processing
- Searching for Responsive Records
- "Reasonably Segregable" Obligation
- Referrals and Consultations
- Responding to FOIA Requests
- FEES AND FEE WAIVERS
- EXEMPTION 1
- Standard of Review
- Deference to Agency Expertise
- In Camera Submissions and Adequate Public Record
- Waiver of Exemption Protection
- Executive Order 12,958, as Amended
- Duration of Classification and Declassification
- Additional Considerations
- "Operational Files" Statutes
- Homeland Security-Related Information
- EXEMPTION 2
- Initial Considerations
- "Low 2": Trivial Matters
- "High 2": Risk of Circumvention
- Homeland Security-Related Information
- EXEMPTION 3
- Initial Considerations
- Exemption 3 Statutes
- FOIA-Specific Nondisclosure Statutes
- Nondisclosure Results Under Appropriations Acts
- "Operational Files" Provisions
- Additional Considerations
- EXEMPTION 4
- Trade Secrets
- Commercial or Financial Information
- Obtained from a "Person
- "Confidential" Information
- The Critical Mass Decision
- Applying Critical Mass
- Impairment Prong of National Parks
- Competitive Harm Prong of National Parks
- Third Prong of National Parks
- Privileged Information
- Interrelation with the Trade Secrets Act
- EXEMPTION 5
- The "Inter-Agency or Intra-Agency" Threshold Requirement
- Deliberative Process Privilege
- Attorney Work-Product Privilege
- Attorney-Client Privilege
- Other Privileges
- EXEMPTION 6
- Initial Considerations
- The Reporters Committee Decision
- Privacy Considerations
- Factoring in the Public Interest
- The Balancing Process
- EXEMPTION 7
- EXEMPTION 7(A)
- EXEMPTION 7(B)
- EXEMPTION 7(C)
- EXEMPTION 7(D)
- EXEMPTION 7(E)
- EXEMPTION 7(F)
- EXEMPTION 8
- EXEMPTION 9
- EXCLUSIONS
- The (c)(1) Exclusion
- The (c)(2) Exclusion
- The (c)(3) Exclusion
- Procedural Considerations
- DISCRETIONARY DISCLOSURE AND WAIVER
- Discretionary Disclosure
- Waiver
- LITIGATION CONSIDERATIONS
- Jurisdiction, Venue, and Other Preliminary Matters
- Pleadings
- Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies
- "Open America" Stays of Proceedings
- Adequacy of Search
- Mootness and Other Grounds for Dismissal
- "Vaughn Index"
- "Reasonably Segregable" Requirements
- In Camera Inspection
- Summary Judgment
- Discovery
- Waiver of Exemptions in Litigation
- Sanctions
- Considerations on Appeal
- ATTORNEY FEES
- Attorney Fees and Litigation Costs: Eligibility Generally
- Attorney Fees and Litigation Costs: The Buckhannon Standard
- Attorney Fees and Litigation Costs: Entitlement
- Attorney Fees and Litigation Costs: Calculations
- "REVERSE" FOIA
- Standard of Review
- Executive Order 12,600
- BASIC FOIA REFERENCES
- Congressional References
- Executive Branch Materials
- Nongovernment Publications
- TEXT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
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