FOIA / Public-Records Request Skill

Public-records requests fail when they're too vague ("all documents about X") — agencies reject or stall them. A good request is specific: named record types, a date range, the right custodian, and the statutory hooks for fees and timing. This skill drafts a request that's easy to fulfil and hard to deny.

Educational drafting aid. Public-records laws vary by jurisdiction (US federal FOIA, US state open-records laws, UK/EU FOI, etc.) — confirm the governing statute, agency, and deadlines for the specific case.

Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided:

• The records you want — as specifically as possible (type, subject, people/programs, keywords).
• Timeframe & custodian — the date range, and which agency/department/office likely holds them.
• Jurisdiction — federal, which state, or which country's FOI law (sets the statute, timelines, exemptions).
• Requester type & purpose — individual, journalist, researcher, commercial — affects fee category and waivers.
• Format — how you want records delivered (electronic preferred, native format).

Output Format

Public-records request — [agency]

To: the agency's FOIA/records officer (address/portal). Date.

1. Statement of request — "Under [the governing statute, e.g. the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552 / the [State] Public Records Act], I request the following records:"

2. Records sought — a numbered, specific list. For each: record type, subject, custodian if known, and the date range. Specific beats broad — narrow, well-defined items get filled; sweeping ones get denied.

3. Format & delivery — preferred format (electronic/native), and delivery method.

4. Fees — a fee category statement and, where applicable, a fee-waiver request (e.g. disclosure is in the public interest / non-commercial) with brief justification, plus a cap ("please contact me before incurring fees over $X").

5. Expedited processing (if applicable) — the basis (urgency, media, imminent public need).

6. Response-time note — cite the statutory response deadline and request acknowledgment.

7. Contact & signature.

Quality Checks

• Records sought are specific (type, subject, custodian, date range) — not "all documents about X"
• The governing statute and jurisdiction are cited correctly
• Format/delivery preference is stated
• Fee category, a fee-waiver ask (if applicable), and a cost cap are included
• Expedited processing and the statutory response deadline are addressed where relevant

Anti-Patterns

• Do not write an overbroad "any and all records" request — it invites denial or endless delay
• Do not omit the date range and custodian — specificity is what gets records produced
• Do not forget the fee cap — an uncapped request can return a huge estimate that stalls it
• Do not cite the wrong law for the jurisdiction — federal FOIA ≠ state open-records acts
• Do not overstate an expedited-processing basis — it must genuinely qualify

Based On

FOIA / public-records practice (specificity, statutory citation, fee-waiver & expedited-processing provisions).