Mohit Aggarwal 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).