Tips for Getting the Public Records You Want

Remember the following:

1) Increasingly, public agencies are putting records online. What you think you might have to fight for could be a mouse click away.

2) If it's documents you're seeking, keep in mind that most agencies charge copying fees. And some charge search fees. So don't ask for everything in the agency's files when what you really want is a one-page document.

2) In many states, you can ask that fees be waived because there is a public interest in the information being made public.

4) Learn about the agency, and how it keeps its records. Often, you can determine what you want by visiting the agency and asking to see the records.

5) Most of the time, your initial contact will be with a clerk who has no interest in putting a barrier in your way. A polite request that produces the documents instantly is preferable to a potentially contentious demand.

6) Learn about your state's laws, and how to formally request documents. But try to get what you need without filing a formal request. Very often, FOIAs end up in the hands of government lawyers. That means delays, even when the agency agrees to give you the records.

7) Be specific and narrow when you make a formal request. If, for instance, you are seeking all documents about a particular agency's decision, don't just ask for documents "in the files.'' Remember that you are most often entitled as well to relevant emails and inter-agency correspondence.

8) If the agency does not respond to your request within the time allowed by law, write a follow-up letter. And if that doesn't produce the records, take quick advantage of your state's appeal process.

Sample FOIA request letters:

Sample Letter to Request a Public Record

Sample Letter to Appeal a Decision

Sample Letter to Request a Fee Waiver