FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT and PRIVACY ACT

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FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT andPRIVACY ACT
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OVERVIEW

• INTRODUCTION
• FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
• PRIVACY ACT
• REQUESTS
• QUESTIONS ???

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INTRODUCTION

• TWO FEDERAL STATUTES
• 5 U.S.C. 552 (FOIA) enacted 1966
• 5 U.S.C. 552a (PA) of 1974
• Statutory right to access information held by
  federal agencies
• Balance public v. individual interests

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FOIA

• FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
• 5 United States Code 552
• Ensures publics access to government records
• Ensures an informed citizenry
• Prevents secret government

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FOIA

• RECORDS MUST BE DISCLOSED UNLESS EXEMPT OR
  EXCLUDED

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FOIA

• EXEMPTIONS
• 5 U.S.C. 552(b) 1 9
• 1. Classified information
• 2. Internal administrative matters
• 3. Other federal statutes
• 4. Commercial/ financial
• 5. Privileged information
• 6. Personal privacy
• 7. Law enforcement information
• 8. Bank records
• 9. Information on wells

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FOIA

• (b)6 PERSONAL PRIVACY
• Balancing PRIVACY interest of a living individual
  in controlling dissemination of information about
  himself against PUBLIC interest of shedding light
  on an agencys operations or activities.

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FOIA

• (b)7 LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION
• A) open investigation
• B) fair trial
• C) unwarranted invasion of privacy
• D) confidential sources
• E) investigative techniques
• F) safety of individuals

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PA

• PRIVACY ACT
• 5 United States Code 552a
• Interfaces with FOIA
• Allows access to your own records
• Restricts access to others records

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PA

• Pertains to information about an INDIVIDUAL
  maintained by an AGENCY kept in a SYSTEM OF
  RECORDS that can be retrieved by NAME OR PERSONAL
  IDENTIFIER.

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PA

• EXEMPTIONS
• 1. Compiled in anticipation of civil litigation
  (d)(5)
• 2. CIA records (j)(1)
• 3. Compiled during course of criminal law
  enforcement proceeding (j)(2)
• 4. Classified information (k)(1)
• 5. Non-criminal law enforcement records (k)(2)

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PA

• EXEMPTIONS
• 6. Secret service records (k)(3)
• 7. Statistical records (k)(4)
• 8. Employment background check file (k)(5)
• 9. Testing / examination materials (k)(7)
• 10. Military evaluative records (k)(5)

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1st PARTY REQUESTS

• The requestor is seeking his own records
• Process under PA and FOIA
• Does a PA exemption apply?
• If no, release. If yes, still try under FOIA.
• Does a FOIA exemption apply?
• If no, release. If yes, withhold

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3rd PARTY REQUESTS

• The requestor is seeking someone elses records
• NO DISCLOSURE WITHOUT CONSENT
• Except
• Need to know
• Required by FOIA

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GLOMAR RESPONSE

• 3rd Party request
• Specific record (report) by name
• Neither confirm nor deny the existence of the
  record
• Rationale potential unwarranted invasion of
  privacy by simply acknowledging that there was an
  investigation.

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SOME FREE ADVICE

• READ THE REQUEST NARROWLY
• CLEAN UP THE CASE FILE BEFORE CLOSING

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FOIA/PA
QUESTIONS?