Pete Sorenson

Presented in this session are the three basic phases of FOIA: the request, the administrative appeal, and the judicial review, with special emphasis on family law and military/ veterans matters. Information is crucial to the successful attorney. Without quality information, we’re often adrift. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is increasingly used by attorneys to obtain the records that help lawyers win cases or assist clients in navigating complex negotiations. Making a good request is crucial and you’ll learn the ins and outs of a good request. We’ll learn more about getting the request fulfilled prior to a “final agency decision,” go over the administrative appeal and how to get the agency to reverse its prior decision., and go into major aspects of the third phase of FOIA, the judicial review.

After those basics, we’ll delve into the tested techniques for how to get the records you’re seeking faster, with less expense and how to avoid the traps-and there are many-in getting the records.