|
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
New York: Open Records: Procedure For Obtaining Records
FOURTH EDITION (2001) Published by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Get it in print! NEW YORK: OPEN RECORDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V. PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING RECORDS. A. How to start. 3. Contents of a written request. a. Description of the records. A FOIL request must "reasonably describe" the records which are requested. N.Y. Pub. Off. Law § 89(3) (McKinney 1988). The failure of a requestor to reasonably describe desired records is a ground for nondisclosure that is entirely separate from the exemption provisions. Konigsberg v. Coughlin, 68 N.Y.2d 245, 251, 501 N.E.2d 1, 508 N.Y.S.2d 393 (1986); Mitchell v. Slade, 173 A.D.2d 226, 569 N.Y.S.2d 437 (1st Dep't 1991) (the burden is on the requestor to reasonably describe the records, and the agency is not required to solicit additional information to identify the records). Records have been held to be reasonably described when the agency is able to locate them. Capital Newspapers Div. of Hearst Corp. v. Burns, 67 N.Y.2d 562, 496 N.E.2d 665, 505 N.Y.S.2d 576 (1986); M. Farbman & Sons v. New York City, 62 N.Y.2d 75, 464 N.E.2d 437, 476 N.Y.S.2d 69 (1984). See Dunlea v. Goldmark, 54 A.D.2d 446, 389 N.Y.S.2d 423 (3d Dep't 1977), aff'd, 43 N.Y.2d 754, 377 N.E.2d 798, 401 N.Y.S.2d 1010 (1977) ("budget examiner's file" not too vague); Town of Woodstock v. Goodson-Todman Enterprises, 133 Misc.2d 12, 505 N.Y.S.2d 540 (Sup. Ct. 1986) (granting access where records reasonably described); Zanger v. Chinlund, 106 Misc.2d 86, 430 N.Y.S.2d 1002 (Sup. Ct. 1980) (granting access to "all information and documents" relating to incidents of violence at particular prison over 3 year period). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2001 The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 1815 N. Fort Myer Dr., Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22209. Phone: (703) 807-2100 Email: rcfp@rcfp.org See copyright page for reprint information for classroom or nonprofit use. Click here to visit this site. |
© 2003 The E-Accountability Foundation![]()
