What is FOIA?
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was enacted by Congress in 1966 to give the public access to information held by the federal government. The Act gives any person the right to request and receive access to any document, file, or other record in the possession of any federal government agency, subject to exemptions.
What is the Clinic?
Public Citizen recognizes that public interest organizations everywhere rely on information - statistics, reports, policy statements, or other records - held by the government. Because of recent policies, however, information that previously was regularly disseminated by agencies is often no longer provided to the public. Now more than ever, FOIA has become vital for non-profit organizations seeking to advocate effectively or serve a community.
In response to this growing need, Public Citizen Litigation Group launched the Public Interest FOIA Clinic to give comprehensive assistance to other non-profit organizations seeking government-held information. Through the Clinic, we provide direct litigation assistance to public interest organizations, particularly those that have substantive expertise in their area but lack substantial FOIA litigation experience. The Clinic also collects and analyzes information about recent FOIA litigation conducted by public interest organizations to identify and address common FOIA problems.
How can we help you?
Resources/Information:
Public Citizen Litigation Group provides numerous FOIA resources through the Freedom of Information Clearinghouse. FOIA was designed to be relatively simple to use. As a result, you can file a request and can appeal request denials within the agency without legal representation. To read a comprehensive guide to requesting documents, learn more about the history of FOIA, find the text of open government laws, or learn about Public Citizen Litigation Group’s extensive history of FOIA litigation, visit the Clearinghouse website.
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Legal Assistance:
The Public Interest FOIA Clinic can provide legal assistance ranging from initial advice about requesting documents to pro bono representation in litigating the denial of a request. If you are requesting legal assistance for a non-profit organization, please fill out the Public Interest FOIA Clinic legal assistance request form, to the left. If you are seeking FOIA assistance as an individual or on behalf of a for-profit institution, please do so through the Freedom of Information Clearinghouse.
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Add Your Non-Profit FOIA Work To The Public Interest FOIA Database:
The Public Interest FOIA Clinic also wants to hear about the FOIA work your organization has done, and any problems you have had using FOIA. By collecting this type of information, we can better assist non-profits by identifying and trying to address common problems. Fill out our simple form to add your ongoing or completed FOIA work to the database.
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If you have questions about the Clinic, please contact Margaret Kwoka at foiaclinic@citizen.org.