FOIA Overview - Cloned

The Antitrust Division is charged with the general enforcement, by criminal and civil proceedings, of federal antitrust laws and other laws relating to the protection of competition and the prohibition of monopolization and restraints of trade. This Division maintains files of its investigations and legal cases, stores documents utilized during such investigations and litigation, and keeps records pertaining to the administration of the Division.

Special information required: No special information is required for your request, but please be as specific as possible.

Publicly available information: Public documents located on this Division's website include public court and administrative filings, such as complaints and final judgments, guidelines and policy statements, the Division manual, press releases, speeches, comments and testimony, business review letters, statistics, and the Division telephone directory. Public documents that are not posted on the Division’s website may be obtained by contacting the FOIA/PA Unit, Antitrust Documents Group, by e-mail, [email protected]; by telephone, (202) 514-2481; or by fax, (202) 514-3763.

Multi-track processing: FOIA requests are placed in one of three tracks. Track one is for those requests which seek and receive expedited processing pursuant to subsection (a)(6)(E) of the FOIA. Track two is for those requests which do not involve voluminous records or lengthy consultations with other entities. Track three is for those requests which involve voluminous records, requests for which lengthy or numerous consultations are required, or those requests which may involve sensitive records.

The Associate Attorney General advises and assists the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General in formulating and implementing Departmental policies and programs pertaining to a broad range of civil justice, federal and local law enforcement, and public safety matters. The Office oversees and provides policy direction to the following Department of Justice components: the Antitrust, Civil, Civil Rights, Environment and Natural Resources, and Tax Divisions, the Office of Justice Programs, as well as providing oversight responsibility for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), the Community Relations Service, the Office on Violence Against Women, the Office of Information Policy, the Executive Office for United States Trustees, and the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission. Records maintained include those relating to the administration of the office.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: Policy statements, staff manuals, speeches, Congressional testimony, and an organization chart.

Multi-track processing: FOIA requests are placed in one of three tracks. Track one is for those requests which seek and receive expedited processing pursuant to subsection (a)(6)(E) of the FOIA. Track two is for those requests which do not involve voluminous records or lengthy consultations with other entities. Track three is for those requests which involve voluminous records, requests for which lengthy or numerous consultations are required, or those requests which may involve sensitive records.

The Attorney General is responsible for the overall supervision and direction of the administration and operation of the Department. The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and furnishes advice and opinions on legal matters to the President, the Cabinet, heads of the executive departments, and other agencies of the federal government. Records maintained include those relating to the administration of the office.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: Policy statements, frequently requested records, staff manuals, Attorney General biographies, speeches, Congressional testimony, and accountability reports to Congress, final orders and opinions of the Attorney General.

Multi-track processing: FOIA requests are placed in one of three tracks. Track one is for those requests which seek and receive expedited processing pursuant to subsection (a)(6)(E) of the FOIA. Track two is for those requests which do not involve voluminous records or lengthy consultations with other entities. Track three is for those requests which involve voluminous records, requests for which lengthy or numerous consultations are required, or those requests which may involve sensitive records.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducts criminal investigations, regulates the firearms and explosives industries, and assists other law enforcement agencies in order to suppress violent crime and protect the public. The ATF removes violent offenders and criminal organizations from the community, assists prosecutors in incarcerating violent offenders, provides leadership to solve violent crime, denies criminals access to firearms by stopping illegal firearms traffickers, works with the firearms and explosives industries to ensure compliance with regulations and record keeping requirements, promotes comprehensive crime gun tracing, safeguards the public from explosives and arson incidents, supports interagency counterterrorism effort, assists state, local, and other federal law enforcement agencies by establishing and conducting law enforcement training and research programs, investigates thefts and losses of firearms and explosives, allows only qualified applicants to become licensed in firearms and explosives industries, conducts revenue investigations in conjunction with alcohol and tobacco diversion investigations, and prevents criminal encroachment of the legitimate alcohol and tobacco industries. ATF also maintains records relating to the administration of the bureau.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: A request for a listing of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) in your residential zip code can be made without a FOIA request. Send your request to:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
Chief, Firearms, Explosives and Arson Services Division
Department of Justice
99 New York Avenue, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20226

Reading room location: Suite 1E062, 99 New York Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C.

Multi-track processing: Requests are separated into two tracks – standard and expedited. Requests in the expedited track are those that have sought and been granted expedited processing under one of the four standards outlined in the Department of Justice’s FOIA regulations.

The Civil Division represents the United States, its agencies, and its employees in general civil litigation that is not within the specialized fields of other divisions of the Department. It defends the federal government in suits challenging the constitutionality, lawfulness, or propriety of Presidential initiatives, federal statutes, and government programs and actions. It also initiates litigation to enforce various federal statutes, including the False Claims Act, and the federal consumer protection and immigration laws. It handles tort claims against the government, and the defense of federal civilian and military officials sued personally for official actions. The Division maintains record material relating to cases and matters under its jurisdiction, as well as records relating to the administration of the Division.

Special information required: Requests for records from Civil Division case files should include a case caption or name, civil action number, judicial district, and date or year of filing.

Publicly available information: Certain Civil Division legal practice monographs and a limited number of health care settlements.

Multi-track processing: In addition to the Expedited track, FOIA requests are placed in one of two tracks.  Track one (Simple) is for those requests which do not involve voluminous records or lengthy consultations with other entities. Track two (Complex) is for those requests which involve (1) complicated subject matter; (2) voluminous records, requests for which lengthy or numerous consultations are required; (3) those requests which may involve sensitive records; or (4) extensive consultation with other components.

The Civil Rights Division (CRT) is responsible for the enforcement of the federal civil rights statutes to secure equal opportunity in the areas of employment, education, housing, voting, public accommodations and facilities, and federally assisted programs. CRT is also responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act through the investigation and prosecution of charges filed on the basis of citizenship status or national origin. CRT also prosecutes criminal violations of the federal civil rights statutes. The Division maintains records of all its legal cases, correspondence, and memoranda, as well as records on certain individuals protected under civil rights statutes. Records maintained include those relating to the administration of the various offices.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: Significant guidance documents, historical documents, certain trial transcripts. Additionally, the Disability Rights Section and the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices have numerous publications available to the public through each section's public information office.

Multi-track processing: FOIA requests are placed in one of three tracks: (1) expedited requests, (2) simple requests involving less than 3000 pages of documents, (3) complex requests involving more than 3000 pages or requests for classified documents.

The Community Relations Service (CRS) provides community mediation and conciliation services to resolve conflicts or disputes relating to race, color, or national origin at the request of state or local officials, local citizens and organizations, or on its own motion when it believes that peaceful relations among citizens are threatened.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: Annual reports, CRS Customer Service Plan, general publications on conflict resolution and related CRS work. Other types of public information are available on CRS's website at www.justice.gov/crs.

Multi-track processing: Requests are separated into two tracks – standard and expedited. Requests in the expedited track are those that have sought and been granted expedited processing under one of the four standards outlined in the Department of Justice’s FOIA regulations.

The Criminal Division maintains records of large-scale fraud cases, exchange of prisoners with foreign countries pursuant to treaties, requests for assistance to and from foreign governments in criminal prosecutions, extradition matters, records concerning asset forfeitures, investigations and denaturalization proceedings against individuals who participated in Nazi persecutions or any acts of genocide or government-sponsored torture or murder, records pertaining to the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program, and records relating to the administration of the Criminal Division. The Division also supervises such matters as electronic surveillance (but not when related to national security or defense investigations), granting of immunity from federal prosecution, and the issuance of subpoenas to members of the press or attorneys. In some instances, the Division will maintain records of criminal proceedings, but only when necessary to the exercise of its supervisory role. The Criminal Division maintains case files only where it has assumed direct responsibility for prosecution. The majority of criminal prosecutions are handled by the individual United States Attorneys' Offices, which ordinarily maintain all relevant case files. The Criminal Division does not maintain Criminal History Records (commonly referred to as "rap sheets"). Such records should be requested from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Instructions for obtaining rap sheets can be found at Department of Justice regulations at 28 C.F.R. §§ 16.30-34 or on the Criminal Division's FOIA website at https://www.justice.gov/criminal/crm-freedom-information-act.

For a further description of the records maintained by the Criminal Division, go to the Criminal Division's FOIA website at https://www.justice.gov/criminal/crm-freedom-information-act.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: Case highlights, publications and plans, forms, Reports to Congress, International Prisoner Transfer Program information, Office of Special Investigations Reports, staff manuals.

Multi-track processing: Track one (expedited) is for requests that meet the criteria for expedited processing and requests for which no responsive records are located or which require a short period of time to process. Track two (simple) is for requests that require an average amount of time to process, typically twenty days or less, once all responsive records have been received by the FOIA/PA Unit. Track three (complex) is for voluminous amounts of documents and/or complex requests requiring more than twenty days to process following receipt of the responsive records in the FOIA/PA Unit.

The Deputy Attorney General advises and assists the Attorney General in formulating and implementing Department policies and programs and in providing overall supervision and direction of all organizational units of the Department. Records maintained include those relating to the administration of the office.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: Frequently requested records, policy statements, staff manuals, speeches, Congressional testimony, and records pertaining to the Justice Department's mission in Iraq, final orders and opinions of the Deputy Attorney General.

Multi-track processing: FOIA requests are placed in one of three tracks. Track one is for those requests which seek and receive expedited processing pursuant to subsection (a)(6)(E) of the FOIA. Track two is for those requests which do not involve voluminous records or lengthy consultations with other entities. Track three is for those requests which involve voluminous records, requests for which lengthy or numerous consultations are required, or those requests which may involve sensitive records.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enforces the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States by bringing to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those involved in the growth, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances in or destined for the illicit traffic in the United States. DEA maintains investigative and intelligence files of criminal activities related to illicit drug traffic and drug abuse, rosters and investigations of legitimate drug handlers, distributors and manufacturers, and records of controlled substance security investigations. It also keeps various records pertaining to the administration of DEA.

Special information required: None.

Publicly available information: Certain manuals, pamphlets on drugs and other DEA programs published by DEA's Office of Public Affairs, and asset forfeiture advertisements and auction announcements.

Reading room location: Room W-7216, 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA.

Multi-track processing: Three tracks (1) simple; (2) complex; and (3) expedited.