The FOIA is constantly evolving as court decisions, Presidential FOIA Memoranda, and new Attorney General FOIA Guidelines are issued, and as Congress passes statutory amendments to the law.  In keeping with its statutory authority to encourage agency compliance with the FOIA, OIP regularly develops and issues policy guidance to all agencies on proper implementation of the FOIA.  In addition, OIP issues guidance on a wide range of legal and procedural issues involving the FOIA to improve administration of the law, to promote best practices, and to increase transparency.

You can access the full list of OIP Guidance from 2008 to the present, or view the most recent guidance issued by OIP below: 

Most recent OIP Guidance:

April 04, 2012

Closing the Ten Oldest Pending Requests and Consultations

December 05, 2011

Referrals, Consultations, and Coordination: Procedures for Processing Records When Another Agency or Entity Has an Interest in Them

November 15, 2011

Guidance for Completion of Fiscal Year 2011 Annual FOIA Reports

September 19, 2011

Guidelines for 2012 Chief FOIA Officer Reports (A template for the completion of this Report is available through FOIA Post)

August 17, 2011

Open Format Requirements for Agency Annual FOIA Reports

May 10, 2011

Exemption 2 After the Supreme Court’s Ruling in Milner v. Department of the Navy

March 2, 2011

Supreme Court Rejects Argument that Corporations have “Personal Privacy” Interests

You can also select and view the list of guidance issued by OIP during a particular calendar year by selecting a year below:

2011| 2010 | 2009| 2008

Prior to 2011, OIP Guidance was located in the newsletter version of FOIA Post and in the newsletter FOIA Update. Those publications can be accessed by clicking on the sites listed below. New FOIA Post articles will be posted on the OIP homepage, in addition to the full list of FOIA Post articles from 2011 on.

FOIA Post (2000-2010)

FOIA Update (1979-2000)