The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives the public expansive access to federal government records, subject to certain exemptions. To obtain records from a specific agency, a person must submit a request through that agency’s established channel. And if the agency refuses to produce the requested records or otherwise issues an adverse decision, a requester may file an administrative appeal with the agency. This allows higher-level agency officials to review the initial decision before a requester challenges the decision in federal court. In fact, a FOIA administrative appeal is usually a prerequisite to initiating FOIA-related litigation.
Schoonover & Moriarty attorneys provide clients with a portfolio of FOIA services. We help clients draft and submit FOIA requests. Similarly, we also help protect clients (such as government contractors) whose information may be subject to a FOIA request by working with agencies to redact or delete confidential and proprietary information before production. Finally, we represent clients in administrative appeals challenging adverse decisions in connection with FOIA requests.