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Use MuckRock, Become a FOIA Superhero

Updated: Apr 14

Tip Sheet: New Year, New Lawmakers

Tip Sheet


MuckRock's public records tips and tricks

This tip sheet offers instructions on how to use MuckRock’s services, as well as a list of secondary steps to take once you have begun the process of formulating your public records requests. Use these resources to make requesting and accessing public information simpler and more successful.


Make sure to check out the recording from the Backgrounding Basics workshop and Sunlight's tip sheet from the session.

 

Basics

  1. How to get started on MuckRock. Learn how we work. MuckRock has a database of tens of thousands of government agencies and almost every single city, town and county. 

  2. Five simple tips to make you a better FOIA requester. Whether you’re new to requesting public records or just need a refresher, MuckRock has five tips to improve your requests. 

  3. How to explore MuckRock’s public archive of FOIA requests and releases. Take a look at how you can use the Requests page to explore the archives, and even build off the great FOIA work of others.

  4. Out of request ideas? Try cloning a request from MuckRock users. Sort requests to see what other users have uncovered, then use the “Clone” feature to build off their work. 

  5. Understanding state public records laws. Each state has its own laws about making documents, data and other records accessible to the public. MuckRock tracks how states impose exemptions that allow them to withhold records; how quickly each state responds; and other factors affecting government transparency.


Next Steps

  1. How to get a faster FOIA response. Get tips from MuckRock for getting a reply when an agency won’t answer your public records request.

  2. Appealing fee categories and waivers. Here’s some quick tips on what you can do to get an agency to reconsider your fee category, which can result in reduced costs.

  3. Dealing with excessive redactions. Redactions can serve as a bargaining chip for agencies when they leverage the associated redaction costs as a monetary barrier between requester and record.

  4. What to do when an agency claims not to have records you know it has. Take a look at five case studies in which the agency didn’t look, pretended not to understand the request, or were just plain wrong. 

  5. Reviewing common federal FOIA exemptions. Learn more about nine FOIA exemptions that stand between you and records you want. We cover what they are, what they mean, and what you can do about them.

  6. Dig into our appeal guides. In addition to our Place page, each state guide provides background and context about an exemption to the public records laws in all fifty states, as well as federal FOIA. 

  7. Getting the most out of DocumentCloud. As a verified journalist, you get access to document hosting and analysis platform DocumentCloud and its powerful Add-Ons.


Links and resources

Resources


Stay Connected


🚨 These Tip Sheets are incredible resources, best used in conjunction with their live, hands-on workshop session component. Watch the workshop recording of Backgrounding Basics here.


Interested in gaining access to our full database of workshop recordings?




Questions or comments about Sunlight's workshops and resources? Contact Elizabeth at elizabeth@sunlightsearch.net

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