{
 "topic": "FOIA section 3(g) - Unduly burdensome categorical request",
 "statute": "5 ILCS 140/3(g)",
 "family": "Responding to requests: deadlines, extensions, copies",
 "page": "https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-3-g/",
 "note": "Determination letters are non-binding. Verify against the source PDF before citing.",
 "counts": {
  "violation_found": 8,
  "no_violation": 15,
  "no_determination": 4,
  "other": 0
 },
 "challenge_notes": {
  "generated_by": "AI summary of the decisions listed on this page; not legal advice; verify each decision against its PDF",
  "when_a_challenge_is_strong": [
   {
    "text": "The public body denied your request as unduly burdensome without first giving you any chance to discuss narrowing it.",
    "why": "The Bureau found that a public body must offer an opportunity to narrow the request before denying a categorical request as unduly burdensome (D1074.2).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Police reports, body camera footage, and 911 recordings of a shooting",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82157/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The denial letter lacks specifics like the number of responsive records, estimated hours, or an explanation of why the burden outweighs the public interest.",
    "why": "The Bureau has required that a public body specify reasons and the extent of the burden, including estimates of responsive records and time, to show the burden outweighs the public interest (D1101.1).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A state police incident report",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83830/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body is trying to add up requests from several different people to claim the total burden is too high.",
    "why": "The Bureau has said that a public body cannot aggregate related requests from multiple requesters to justify an undue burden; it must evaluate the individual request (D907.1).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Emails between a finance director and a village administrator",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-52130/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body missed the FOIA response deadline (or the extended deadline) before claiming the request is unduly burdensome.",
    "why": "A public body that fails to respond within the time periods waives the right to deny the request as unduly burdensome (D903.1).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Communications and performance reports on mental health centers",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-51711/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Campus safety incident reports and crime logs",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53943/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "when_the_body_usually_wins": [
   {
    "text": "You are asking for records that you have already received before, or that were properly denied to you earlier.",
    "why": "The Bureau treats a request seeking identical records previously provided or properly denied as an unduly burdensome repeated request (D1499.1, D967.1).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A school district's insurance policies and related records",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-91277/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "An employee roster and job titles for an office location",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68318/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "A forensic interview report in a child sexual abuse investigation",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77159/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Legal invoices and attorney summaries",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-73336/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "You file a broad request for 'all records' over many months or years without linking it to a significant public interest.",
    "why": "The Bureau has found that such categorical requests are unduly burdensome when the public interest does not outweigh the compliance burden and no meaningful narrowing is possible (D1083.1, D886.1).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Grants, youth programs, and staffing records",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82674/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "A village official's electronic calendar appointments",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-44651/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "A city's email correspondence with union addresses",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77078/#issue-3"
     },
     {
      "title": "Records concerning fourteen specific properties",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-39089/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body offered you one good-faith opportunity to narrow the request and you refused or did not narrow it sufficiently.",
    "why": "The Bureau has said that one opportunity to confer satisfies FOIA, and a good-faith chance to consult is enough; a second opportunity is not required after you amend (D1012.2, D1014.1).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A city's email correspondence with union addresses",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77078/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Records about removal of homeless individuals from an airport",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77169/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "You and a colleague from the same organization submit similar requests for the same records.",
    "why": "The Bureau treats individuals acting in their capacities for the same entity as the same 'person' for repeated requests, so a successive request from either may be unduly burdensome (D879.1, D991.2).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Sheriff's office denial of a repeated FOIA request",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-41654/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Legal invoices and attorney summaries",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-73336/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body can show that no responsive records exist.",
    "why": "Where no responsive records exist, the denial does not violate FOIA (D865.1).",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Investigation reports and complaints referenced in a prior communication",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-37368/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "points_to_put_in_the_letter": [
   {
    "text": "If the denial letter does not include an estimate of the number of responsive records or the time it would take to review them, argue that the public body failed to provide the required specifics under D1101.1.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A state police incident report",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83830/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If you were never offered a chance to discuss making the request narrower before it was denied as unduly burdensome, point out that the body must give you an opportunity to narrow (D1074.2).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Police reports, body camera footage, and 911 recordings of a shooting",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82157/#issue-2"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the public body tries to combine your request with requests from other people to claim the burden is too high, object that it cannot aggregate requests from multiple requesters (D907.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Emails between a finance director and a village administrator",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-52130/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the body missed the deadline to respond, state that it has waived the right to claim the request is unduly burdensome (D903.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Communications and performance reports on mental health centers",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-51711/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the body insists you must provide specific employee names, email addresses, or keywords to search, remind them that the requester does not have to identify search parameters (D989.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Communications about maintenance agreements for plantings",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-72761/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "facts_to_gather": [
   "The date you submitted your FOIA request and the date the public body responded (or if no response was sent).",
   "Whether the denial letter mentions the number of records likely to be responsive, the estimated hours of work, or describes the burden in detail.",
   "Whether you or your organization previously received the same records, and the date and identity of the prior requester.",
   "Whether the public body offered you any chance to discuss narrowing the request (and if so, what you did in response).",
   "If the body claims repeated request, which requesters are involved and their relationship to you."
  ],
  "common_mistakes": [
   {
    "text": "Thinking that the public body must hold a formal in-person meeting to confer; a phone call or letter offering to discuss narrowing can satisfy FOIA (D1014.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Records about removal of homeless individuals from an airport",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77169/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Assuming that a denial as unduly burdensome is final and cannot be challenged; the Bureau will review whether the body provided specific evidence of the burden (D1101.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A state police incident report",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83830/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Refusing to narrow your request when the body gives you a good-faith opportunity to do so; if you don't cooperate, the denial may be upheld (D1012.2, D1083.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A city's email correspondence with union addresses",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77078/#issue-2"
     },
     {
      "title": "Grants, youth programs, and staffing records",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82674/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Forgetting to check if you already have the records you're asking for; a repeated request for identical records will almost always be found unduly burdensome (D1499.1, D967.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A school district's insurance policies and related records",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-91277/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "An employee roster and job titles for an office location",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68318/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Believing that separate requesters from the same organization are always treated as different 'persons' for repeated requests; they may be counted as the same person (D879.1).",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Sheriff's office denial of a repeated FOIA request",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-41654/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "caution": "These notes are based on non-binding determination letters; outcomes depend on specific facts, and you should review the full PDF of any cited decision."
 },
 "issues": [
  {
   "issue": "Whether December 9 request was unduly burdensome repeated request",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A request is an unduly burdensome repeated request if it seeks the same records that were unchanged or identical to records previously provided or properly denied.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A school district's insurance policies and related records",
    "date": "2026-04-02",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-91277/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 74017, issued June 26, 2023",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y. Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 79006, issued April 24, 2024",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether FOIA request is unduly burdensome under section 3(g)",
   "outcome": "no_determination",
   "rule": "A categorical request is unduly burdensome if it is overly broad, not narrowly targeted to a significant public interest, and the burden outweighs the public interest; the body must offer to confer to narrow the request.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "School district policies, employment records, and investigative documents",
    "date": "2026-01-05",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-90586/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Inc. v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2018 IL App (1st) 171846",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2018%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20171846/"
    },
    {
     "text": "National Ass'n of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1, 17 (2010)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 69259",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 47671",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Kelly v. Village of Kenilworth, 2019 IL App (1st) 170780",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2019%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20170780/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Undue burden demonstration",
   "outcome": "no_determination",
   "rule": "The public body did not treat the request as unduly burdensome, so no undue burden demonstration was required.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Aggregation of multiple FOIA requests as voluminous",
    "date": "2025-03-03",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-85334/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial of FOIA request as unduly burdensome",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may deny an entire request as unduly burdensome if one or more parts of the request is unduly burdensome, and it need not consider a series of alternative requests.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A mayor's personal cell phone texts about township business",
    "date": "2025-03-11",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-84210/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Inc. v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2018 IL App (1st) 171846",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2018%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20171846/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 84099",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "National Ass'n of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1, 17 (2010)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 81020",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "ISP improperly denied FOIA request as unduly burdensome",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body claiming an unduly burdensome exemption must specify reasons and extent of burden, including estimates of responsive records and time, to show burden outweighs public interest.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A state police incident report",
    "date": "2025-01-24",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83830/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Unduly burdensome denial of categorical FOIA request",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A categorical request is unduly burdensome when compliance would impose a significant burden, no narrowing is possible, and the public interest does not outweigh the burden.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Grants, youth programs, and staffing records",
    "date": "2024-10-21",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82674/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 48444",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "National Ass'n of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1, 17 (2010)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Section 3(g) undue burden denial",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "The body failed to show that reviewing thirteen pages of toll data would unduly burden its operations or outweigh the public interest.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "I-Pass transponder and license plate data for an individual",
    "date": "2024-12-31",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82640/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "National Ass'n of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1 (2010)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Inc. v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2018 IL App (1st) 171846",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2018%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20171846/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 54377",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 37598",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 80244",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 74214",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-74214/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Greer v. Board of Education, 2021 IL App (1st) 200429",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2021%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20200429/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Unduly burdensome request under section 3(g)",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body may deny a categorical request as unduly burdensome if it first offers the requester an opportunity to narrow the request and shows the burden outweighs the public interest.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Police reports, body camera footage, and 911 recordings of a shooting",
    "date": "2024-09-05",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82157/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Kelly v. Village of Kenilworth, 2019 IL App (1st) 170780, ¶¶ 42-49",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2019%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20170780/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Village properly treated overlapping records as repeated request",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may treat as unduly burdensome those portions of a request seeking the same records previously provided to the requester, while responding to the remaining portions.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Ten years of communications with a developer",
    "date": "2024-04-26",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-79906/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "DeLuna v. Burciaga, 223 Ill. 2d 49, 59 (2006)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Gaffney v. Board of Trustees of Orland Fire Protection District, 2012 IL 110012, § 56",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "People v. Latona, 184 Ill. 2d 260, 269 (1998)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Gosnell v. Hogan, 179 Ill. App. 3d 161, 170 (1989)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/pre1996-128527/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether Mayor's Office violated section 3(g) by failing to provide opportunity to confer",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body satisfies section 3(g) by offering a good-faith opportunity to confer, which may be a chance to consult rather than a scheduled conference.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Records about removal of homeless individuals from an airport",
    "date": "2023-10-10",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77169/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 23-007, issued May 26, 2023",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2023-pac-75559/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Inc. v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2018 IL App (1st) 171846, ¶34, 122 N.E.3d 729, 737 (2018)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2018%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20171846/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 21-001, issued January 26, 2021",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2020-pac-65160/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial as unduly burdensome repeated request",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may deny a repeated request for identical records previously provided or properly denied as unduly burdensome.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A forensic interview report in a child sexual abuse investigation",
    "date": "2023-10-05",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77159/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Opportunity to confer before denial",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "FOIA does not require a public body to offer a second opportunity to confer after a requester amends a request; one opportunity suffices.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A city's email correspondence with union addresses",
    "date": "2024-05-23",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77078/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 55347",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Undue burden of amended request",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A categorical request for all records over an extended period is unduly burdensome if the public interest in disclosure does not outweigh the burden of compliance.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A city's email correspondence with union addresses",
    "date": "2024-05-23",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-77078/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 20002",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 21102",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "National Ass'n of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1, 17 (2010)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Inc. v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2018 IL App (1st) 171846",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2018%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20171846/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial as unduly burdensome under section 3(g)",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body must show by clear and convincing evidence that the burden of compliance outweighs the public interest in disclosure.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Emails between police officials about traffic stops",
    "date": "2023-03-08",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-74214/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "National Ass'n of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1 (1st Dist. 2010)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Bowie v. Evanston Comm'y Consolidated Sch. Dist. 65, 168 Ill. App. 3d 101 (1st Dist. 1988)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Inc. v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2018 IL App (1st) 171846",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2018%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20171846/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 72542",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 45458",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 39384",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial as unduly burdensome repeated request under section 3(g)",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A request is an unduly burdensome repeated request if the same person was previously provided the same records or properly denied a prior unchanged request; individuals acting as a group qualify as a person.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Legal invoices and attorney summaries",
    "date": "2022-10-19",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-73336/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Requiring requester to identify email accounts and search parameters",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A requester need not identify specific employees, email addresses, or keywords; the public body must devise its own reasonable search parameters.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Communications about maintenance agreements for plantings",
    "date": "2023-10-05",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-72761/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 23-007",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2023-pac-75559/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial of repeated FOIA request as unduly burdensome",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A request is unduly burdensome under section 3(g) if the same person previously received identical records or had a prior unchanged request properly denied.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "An employee roster and job titles for an office location",
    "date": "2022-03-25",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-68318/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 41654, issued August 28, 2019",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-41654/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Unduly burdensome repeated request under section 3(g)",
   "outcome": "no_determination",
   "rule": "Because the section 8.5 denial was proper, the office did not need to address the Village's section 3(g) unduly burdensome assertion.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A recorded village board meeting video",
    "date": "2024-06-24",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-62182/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Section 3(g) repeated request denial",
   "outcome": "no_determination",
   "rule": "The Bureau did not address whether the Village properly asserted section 3(g) because the underlying issue was resolved.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Paper-only records requested in electronic format",
    "date": "2019-08-16",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-59194/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Incident reports unduly burdensome denial",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body that fails to respond within the time periods in section 3(d) may not treat the request as unduly burdensome.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Campus safety incident reports and crime logs",
    "date": "2019-06-04",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-53943/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 12-014, issued December 11, 2012, at 11",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2012-pac-21157/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Unduly burdensome denial of FOIA request",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body cannot aggregate related requests from multiple requesters to show an undue burden; it must demonstrate the burden of the individual request outweighs the public interest.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Emails between a finance director and a village administrator",
    "date": "2020-11-18",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-52130/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Inc. v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2018 IL App (1st) 171846",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2018%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20171846/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Section 3(g) repeated request denial",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body may deny as unduly burdensome repeated requests for the same records that were previously properly denied under FOIA.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A city's bid proposal for a corporate headquarters",
    "date": "2018-03-29",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-51776/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Untimely denial of request as unduly burdensome",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body that fails to respond within the extended time waives the right to deny a request as unduly burdensome.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Communications and performance reports on mental health centers",
    "date": "2019-04-01",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-51711/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 14-007",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2014-pac-29561/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Unduly burdensome categorical request for 38 months of calendars",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A categorical request over an extended period requiring review of a vast quantity of records is unduly burdensome when no public interest outweighs the burden and the body offered to narrow it.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A village official's electronic calendar appointments",
    "date": "2016-11-17",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-44651/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 20002",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 21102",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "National Assn of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1, 17 (1st Dist. 2010)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether Kraft and Allen are same person under section 3(g)",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "Two individuals who belong to the same entity and submit FOIA requests in their capacities with the entity qualify as the same person under FOIA.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Sheriff's office denial of a repeated FOIA request",
    "date": "2019-08-28",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-41654/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 17798",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-17798/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 12-001",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2011-pac-16877/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Denial of categorical request as unduly burdensome",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A broad categorical request covering an indefinite time period and vast records is unduly burdensome when the public interest in all responsive records does not outweigh the burden of compliance.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Records concerning fourteen specific properties",
    "date": "2016-07-26",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-39089/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "National Ass'n of Criminal Defense Lawyers v. Chicago Police Department, 399 Ill. App. 3d 1 (2010)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether District improperly denied requests for previous complaints and investigation reports",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body need not create or interpret records; where no responsive records exist, its denial does not violate FOIA.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Investigation reports and complaints referenced in a prior communication",
    "date": "2017-02-08",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-37368/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Yeager v. Drug Enforcement Administration, 678 F.2d 315, 321 (D.C. Cir. 1982)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Kenyon v. Garrels, 184 Ill. App. 3d 28, 32, 540 N.E.2d 11, 13 (4th Dist. 1989)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/pre1996-129427/"
    }
   ]
  }
 ]
}