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This week’s FOIA round-up: House Democrats ask for more money to give to the Interior Department’s FOIA office, Amazon spoofs fake packages for cops, and a law student sues a South Carolina county

by Mackenzie Farkus

April 19, 2019

In this week’s FOIA round-up, House Democrats look to increase funding to the Interior Department’s FOIA office, records show Amazon collaborated with local law enforcement on sting operations to deter package theft, and a Cornell University law student sues a South Carolina county for excessive fees.

Keep the Sunshine Week spirit alive for another year

by Michael Morisy

March 19, 2018

As someone who has been threatened with jail, lawsuits, and the occasional death threat over requests I’ve filed or helped file, I understand how frustrating public records can be. But with Sunshine Week 2018 wrapped up, I think it’s worth taking note of everything that’s gone well.

Nine Days of FOIA Exemptions: b(3)

by JPat Brown

March 01, 2018

With Sunshine Week just around the corner, we wanted to count down the days to our favorite time of year with a closer look at what’s going on behind the black bars: the nine federal FOIA exemptions. Today, one of the more frustrating exemptions: b(3), the “No Homers” exemption.

How to get a faster FOIA response

by Michael Morisy

February 01, 2018

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of giving a talk with the Educational Writers Association on how to speed up slow Freedom of Information Act requests. Here are tips I’ve seen work over the years, plus a chance to share your secrets - and maybe win some free MuckRock requests.

FOIA FAQ: Dealing with “Still Interested” letters

by Michael Morisy

August 31, 2017

Few things can be more galling for a FOIA requester than to patiently wait on a request for years, only to be told by an agency that if they don’t respond quickly and let the agency know they’re still interested, their request will be closed out. Here’s advice on how to handle these dubiously-legal practices.