Top » Law & Legal Issues

Guide to the Freedom of Information Act

The federal Freedom of Information Act is one of the most powerful yet underused laws on the books. The FOIA allows everyone to access the records and documents prepared and held by our governement. The FOIA opens records ranging from environmental reports and historical documents to military records and the White House photo album. Often, an FOIA request is faster and easier than typical legal fact-finding efforts, like formal discovery. As with any law, there are exceptions, but the ACLU's FOIA guide spells them out. This site, actually the online version of one of the organization's brochures, gives a step-by-step guide to the FOIA. In a few minutes you can learn the best way to make a request, file an appeal, and even sue a stonewalling government agency. This is a highly valuable resource for journalists, activists, attorneys, and other interested people.

Mon, 27 Dec 1999 14:47:30 -0800