Check SEC.gov Before You File FOIA

Transcript

Before reporters file a Freedom of Information Act request to the Securities and Exchange Commission, they should first search SEC.gov for what is already public. The guide says FOIA is for non-public records, including records compiled in investigations, consumer complaints, and certain staff comment letters. It also means reporters should check whether the filing or record they need is already available online, document the pages, tools, and search terms they used, and then treat FOIA as the next step only if the material still is not available. The SEC also says it will not do research, answer written questions, or create records, so a request should be focused on one subject.