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Requesting Government Records: Resources

Resources - Requesting Government Records

Looking for additional information about access to government records? Below are some suggested resources for additional research, including information that is available at San Diego Law Library, and information that is available online. Additionally there are a number of open government advocacy organizations that have valuable information and additional resources on their websites, for more information see the Advocacy Organizations page. 

CPRA Resources Online and at San Diego Law Library

Sample Complaints for CPRA Lawsuits

Sample complaints for enforcing the California Public Records Act can be found in Chapter 470C of California Forms of Pleading and Practice, which is available in print in the library at call number KFC1010.A65 C3 and in the Lexis Advance database.

Here is a Sample Complaint from the Student Press Law Center, which can be downloaded as a PDF or Word document. Please note that the citations in this sample have not been updated to reflect the renumbering of the CPRA in 2023. You can use this table to convert the old citations to the new ones. 

 

 

General Tips for Making a Government Record Request

 
  • Always put your request in writing.
  • Before drafting a letter, check the website of the agency to determine if it has a request form or online portal (such as the City of San Diego Open Records Portal) and use the agency's form or portal.
  • If sending a FOIA request to a federal agency, check the agency's published rules for record requests and make sure you follow them. To find the rules for a specific agency click here.
  • Identify the records you are seeking in as much detail as possible, including a date or time frame.
  • Specify if you are requesting inspection, or copying, or both.
  • Ask for a legal justification for any withheld or redacted records.
  • Ask for agency assistance with clarifying the request if necessary.

San Diego Law Library Video Resources

San Diego Law Library webinar "Requesting Government Records" dated December 18, 2020 (note that this video includes citations to the CPRA before it was renumbered in 2023). For more SDLL video resources, see the San Diego Law Library YouTube channel.

FOIA Resources - Online

FOIA Resources at San Diego Law Library

Sample Complaints for FOIA Lawsuits

The United States Courts website has sample Pro Se complaints (for self represented parties) for a general civil lawsuit, and for a lawsuit seeking an injunction. Be sure to read the information listed under "About These Forms" on these webpages before using these forms.

You can also find a sample FOIA complaint here on the Electronic Privacy Information Center website.

Another website where you can find information about FOIA lawsuits is the FOIA Project website, which tracks data about FOIA lawsuits across the country. This website also allows you to search for cases by agency or issue (for example, you can find lawsuits regarding the personnel records exemption), and includes links to the pleadings filed in those cases.