Office of Information Policy

Overview
The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Information Policy (OIP) is responsible for encouraging agency compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and for ensuring that the President’s FOIA Memorandum and the Attorney General's FOIA Guidelines are fully implemented across the government. OIP develops and issues policy guidance to all agencies on proper implementation of the FOIA.

OIP also publishes the U.S. Department of Justice Guide to the Freedom of Information Act, which is a comprehensive legal treatise addressing all aspects of the FOIA. OIP provides individualized guidance to agencies on questions relating to the application of the FOIA, regularly conducts training programs for FOIA personnel across the government, including specialized agency programs, and provides general advice to the public on use of the FOIA.

In addition to its policy functions, OIP oversees agency compliance with the FOIA. All agencies are required by law to report to the Department of Justice on their FOIA compliance through submission of Annual FOIA Reports and Chief FOIA Officer Reports. OIP develops guidelines for those reports, issues guidance and provides training to agencies to help them complete the reports, and reviews and compiles summaries of both agency Annual FOIA Reports and Chief FOIA Officer Reports.