A Multi-User Database of Freedom of Information Act Litigation in Federal District Courts

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) enables the release of government records to individuals and organizations, while allowing government agencies to refuse release of documents based on delineated exemptions. When a requester and agency cannot resolve a FOIA dispute through internal administrative processes, FOIA cases can be appealed to the federal courts for adjudication of the agency’s decision not to release requested records.

This project will compile a database of FOIA requests that are litigated in Federal District Courts.

This research will analyze FOIA litigation dynamics and outcomes through the creation of a database of FOIA exemption decisions in U.S. District Courts from 2001 through 2016. This project theoretically and empirically situates federal courts at the juncture of government dominion over information and the public’s access to information by providing analysis of judicial monitoring of agency decision making.

The result will be a publicly available database that compiles District Court decisions on FOIA litigation, allowing for research of FOIA cases and outcomes that will be of import to the general public, scholars, and practitioners.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.