public records

Universities should proactively post records of research misconduct investigations on their websites to strengthen trust in academic science, argue Ivan Oransky and Adam Marcus in a recent paper published in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. The authors highlight cases where excessive secrecy has shielded misconduct, like falsified data…

A national hunting advocacy group is alleging that members of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission violated the state’s Public Records Act and is asking Gov. Bob Ferguson to remove them from office. In a lawsuit, The Sportsmen’s Alliance says records it obtained show commissioners discussed agency business via text…

Thomas M. Susman, a longtime FOI champion, recounts the development of the 1974 Freedom of Information Act amendments in a new article published in the Journal of Civic Information.  The piece outlines the legislative process and key figures involved, including Sen. Edward Kennedy, Ralph Nader, and Antonin Scalia. Susman also…

The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the Trump administration for failing to release records identifying industrial polluters who requested exemptions from Clean Air Act protections.  In March, the Trump administration invited fossil fuel companies and other industries to apply for exemptions from limits on hazardous pollutants like mercury and…

In a recent opinion, the Washington D.C. Court of Appeals affirmed that the district’s mayor’s office must publish agency budget requests under the city’s Freedom of Information Act, and that failure to proactively post the records could result in punishment. The case, District of Columbia v. Terris, Pravlik & Millian…

A survey of investigative journalists found that limited access to government records and sources remains the greatest challenge to holding public officials accountable.  The survey, conducted for the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability at the University of Florida, gathered responses from 51 investigative reporters and editors across the U.S.…

In Minnesota, a Ramsey County judge has ordered the city of St. Paul to pay a resident more than $30,000 in damages and $750 in court costs for violating Minnesota’s open records law, according to reporting from KSTP.  The case stems from a public records request submitted by attorney and…

A Fulton County Superior Court judge in Georgia has ruled that the Atlanta Police Foundation (APF) must release 15 unredacted public records related to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, known as “Cop City,” within 30 days. The records include board meeting agendas, budget documents, and emails with Georgia Attorney…

A May study titled “Lessons from the Dissolution of Mexico’s Information Commission” examines the March closure of Mexico’s national transparency commission. Researchers Gregory Michener, Margaret Kwoka, and others analyzed the shutdown and identified lack of public engagement as a key factor.  The commission, once regarded as a global model for…

For nearly 30 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released an annual report tracking the country’s greenhouse gas emissions—until this year. In a report from CBS News, the agency failed to publish its 2025 Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report, prompting the Environmental Defense Fund to file a Freedom of…

As public records requests continue to rise, a new paper in AI & Society argues that artificial intelligence could play a key role in helping government agencies manage the growing demand.  Jason R. Baron, a professor at the University of Maryland and member of the National Archivist’s FOIA Advisory Committee,…

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has filed a lawsuit against Flint Community Schools for failing to comply with Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act. The legal complaint comes after the school district ignored a Feb. 17 records request for more than 50 business days—well past the legal deadline.  The request…