Title page
Contents
Summary 2
Key Terms 7
"Agency" 7
"Agency Records" 10
Distinguishing Agency Records and Personal Records of an Employee 11
"Any Person" 13
Access to Government Information Under FOIA 14
Affirmative Disclosure 14
Publication in the Federal Register 15
Electronic Disclosure 16
Request-Driven Disclosure 18
Agency Response Requirements 19
Appeals and Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies 21
Exemptions 22
Exemption 1: National Defense or Foreign Policy 26
Exemption 2: Internal Personnel Rules and Practices 27
Exemption 3: Matters Exempted by Other Statutes 28
Exemption 4: Trade Secrets and Commercial or Financial Information 29
Exemption 5: Inter- or Intra-Agency Memoranda or Letters 32
Deliberative Process Privilege 34
Presidential Communications Privilege 35
Attorney-Client Privilege 36
Attorney Work-Product Privilege 36
Other Privileges 37
Exemption 6: Personnel, Medical, and Similar Files 37
Exemption 7: Law Enforcement Records or Information 40
Exemption 7(A) 42
Exemption 7(B) 42
Exemption 7(C) 43
Exemption 7(D) 44
Exemption 7(E) 44
Exemption 7(F) 45
Exemption 8: Financial Institution Reports 45
Exemption 9: Geological and Geophysical Information and Data Concerning Wells 45
Glomar Responses 46
Glomar: Exemptions v. Exclusions 46
Development of the Glomar Response 46
Exclusions 48
FOIA-Related Litigation: Selected Issues 50
Judicial Review of Agency Withholding Decisions 51
Reverse-FOIA Litigation 53
Selected Issues of Potential Interest for Congress 55
Congressional Access to Agency Information: FOIA's "Special Access" Provision 55
Congressional Records 59
Related Open Government and Information Laws: FACA, the Sunshine Act, and the Privacy Act 63
Author Information 65
Disclaimer 65
Table 1. FOIA Exemptions 22