Freedom of Information Act
How to Submit a FOIA Request: A Guide FOIA Fundamentals Presentation
Meaningful citizen participation depends on the public’s ability to access information. Throughout our 40 years, Public Citizen Litigation Group has worked to increase government transparency, litigating more significant open government cases than any firm or organization in the country. Today, we continue to represent a wide variety of organizations, community groups, journalists, academics, and other individuals seeking to obtain information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other open government laws.
How to Submit a FOIA Request
Congress enacted FOIA 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. FOIA was designed to be relatively simple to use. As a result, you can submit a request and can appeal request denials within the agency without legal representation. To start, see our How to Submit a FOIA Request: A Guide.
Request Legal Assistance in Pursuing FOIA Litigation
Individuals, community groups, and organizations everywhere rely on information – data, reports, policy statements, or other records – held by the government. If you would like to request assistance with FOIA-related litigation, contact us at foia@citizen.org. Please include in your e-mail: