Numerous oversight agencies and authorities have released directives and reports recommending that government agencies adopt modern technologies to meet today’s FOIA challenges. However, many federal agencies remain burdened with antiquated or inadequate technology tools, and they continue to…

The Information Governance Initiative points out that “There is a deep connection between improving electronic recordkeeping practices throughout government and improving public access to government records through the mechanism of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).” 

Every year, the number of Freedom of Information Act requests to U.S. federal government agencies increases. State, county, and city governments are also inundated with requests for information about their activities that the public has a right to know. Meanwhile, certain information must be…

The Constitutional pledge that the United States of America be governed “for the people, by the people” is honoured every time a federal or state agency satisfies a Public Records Request (RPP). As is inevitable, the magisterial simplicity of the Constitution is complex to work out in practice, and…

The 2012 Managing Government Records Directive (M-12-18) instructs federal agencies to establish and maintain appropriate recordkeeping and records management practices while transitioning completely to electronic systems capable of meeting 21st-century demands. 

The role of IT in fulfilling Public Records Requests (PRRs) is as difficult as it is unenviable. IT is not in charge of the process, but arguably carries out the brunt of the work. We all know that this workload is increasing, and getting trickier to do effectively – that is to say, according to…

Nobody wants to make mistakes, and nobody wants to go to court. It happens, of course, and in 2017, the federal bill for litigation regarding Public Records Requests came to $40 million. This $40 million does not factor in the cost of business disruption, and the reputational damage of what are…

There’s been a concerted effort in recent years to improve the processes federal government agencies use to respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) records requests. Government agencies such as the National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) and the Department of Justice have researched…

Journalists, government watchdog organizations, and ordinary citizens are armed with a powerful tool to shed light on U.S. government activities: Freedom of Information laws. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and similar open records or “sunshine” laws in all 50 states require government…