CFR

1820.6—Appeals.

(a) Appeals of adverse determinations. A requester may appeal an adverse determination denying a FOIA request in any respect to the Legal Counsel and Policy Division, U.S. Office of Special Counsel, 1730 M Street, NW., (Suite 218), Washington, DC 20036-4505. The appeal must be in writing, and sent by regular mail or by fax. The appeal must be received by the Legal Counsel and Policy Division within 45 days of the date of the letter denying the request. For the quickest possible handling, the appeal letter and envelope or any fax cover sheet should be clearly marked “FOIA Appeal.” The appeal letter may include as much or as little related information as the requester wishes, as long as it clearly identifies the OSC determination (including the assigned FOIA request number, if known) being appealed. An appeal ordinarily will not be acted on if the request becomes a matter of FOIA litigation.

(b) Responses to appeals. The agency decision on an appeal will be made in writing. A decision affirming an adverse determination in whole or in part shall inform the requester of the provisions for judicial review of that decision. If the adverse determination is reversed or modified on appeal, in whole or in part, the requester will be notified in a written decision and the request will be reprocessed in accordance with that appeal decision.

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