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Self Help Guide: How to Submit a Freedom of Information Law Request (FOIL) Without a Lawyer
| Date: | Jan 26, 2023 |
| Author(s): | Civil Rights and Transparency Clinic, University at Buffalo School of Law |
| Topic(s): | Data / Demographics / History: General, Government: General, Government: Open Government |
| Type: | Publication |
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The ‘Self-Help Guide: How to Submit a Freedom of Information Law Request in New York without a Lawyer’ (the “Guide”) is for anyone who has requested information under the New York State Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). This Guide also assists users who have been improperly ignored, denied, or charged an unreasonable fee for their request for information. The Guide also provides the information you need when determining whether to pursue a pro se lawsuit and illustrates the tools you need.
This Guide is broken up into six sections to assist users at each step of the process. These sections cover: The requirements for a FOIL request, the internal appeal process used by agencies to reconsider a request that has been ignored, denied, or charged an unreasonable fee, the process of suing after completing an appeal, instructions for creating the three documents needed to file a lawsuit, and the process for filing the documents and appearing in court.
For interactive sample forms, visit this FOIL Forms document.
The Guide provides instructions and checklists, which all act as information on how to file a lawsuit. The Guide is interactive! The hyperlinks work and provide quick access to documents. Everything has been selected to make the process as easy as possible. The Guide was produced by the University at Buffalo School of Law Civil Rights and Transparency Clinic for use by anyone seeking transparency from the New York State government. The Guide is not a substitute for legal advice or representation by a lawyer.