{
 "topic": "FOIA section 9.5(f)",
 "statute": "5 ILCS 140/9.5(f)",
 "family": "Review by the Public Access Counselor",
 "page": "https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-9-5-f/",
 "note": "Determination letters are non-binding. Verify against the source PDF before citing.",
 "counts": {
  "violation_found": 2,
  "no_violation": 3,
  "no_determination": 1,
  "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 searched only for the exact phrase you used, ignoring obvious variations or broader terms.",
    "why": "The Bureau found a violation when a body failed to construe the request liberally and search for all responsive records, not just the exact phrase.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Communications about incomplete fiscal audits",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82313/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "You can point to specific locations or databases that the public body failed to search, and those places are likely to contain the records.",
    "why": "A public body must search places reasonably likely to contain responsive records.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Inventory records of lost or stolen electronic devices",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-81235/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "when_the_body_usually_wins": [
   {
    "text": "The public body demonstrates it searched all likely locations using reasonable search terms.",
    "why": "The Bureau found no violation when the search was reasonable and tailored.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Police activity forms for a park",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82977/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The public body shows that the requested records were never created or retained.",
    "why": "FOIA does not require a body to provide records it does not have.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Records of a Title IX investigation",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-79406/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "The request asks for a compilation or report that does not already exist and would require creating a new record.",
    "why": "FOIA does not require creating new records or compiling data not ordinarily maintained.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A custom data report from a school district's software vendor",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-78983/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "There is a pending court case on the same issue.",
    "why": "The Public Access Bureau will defer to the court and take no further action.",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Entity's status as a public body under FOIA and OMA",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82071/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "points_to_put_in_the_letter": [
   {
    "text": "State that the public body must construe your request liberally and search for all responsive records, not just those matching your exact words. The Bureau found a violation when a body searched only for the exact phrase.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Communications about incomplete fiscal audits",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82313/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "Identify any specific locations, databases, or offices that you believe were not searched but are likely to contain the records. The body must search places reasonably likely to have responsive records.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Inventory records of lost or stolen electronic devices",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-81235/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the body claims it would have to create a new record, ask whether the underlying data exists and can be provided in its existing format. FOIA does not require creating new records, but existing records must be disclosed.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "A custom data report from a school district's software vendor",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-78983/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "If the body says it does not have the records, provide any evidence you have that the records were created or retained. The body is only required to provide records it actually created and retained.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Records of a Title IX investigation",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-79406/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "facts_to_gather": [
   "The exact wording of your FOIA request.",
   "The public body's response describing their search (what locations they searched, what search terms they used).",
   "Any evidence that the requested records exist (e.g., references in other documents, public statements, your own knowledge of the body's record-keeping).",
   "Any indication that the body used an overly narrow search term or ignored obvious variations."
  ],
  "common_mistakes": [
   {
    "text": "A requester only argues that the body didn't find the records, without pointing out that the body used an overly narrow search or failed to construe the request liberally.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Communications about incomplete fiscal audits",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82313/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "A records coordinator searches only for the exact phrase used in the request, assuming that is sufficient.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Communications about incomplete fiscal audits",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82313/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "A requester files a request for review with the Public Access Bureau while a court case on the same issue is pending, expecting the Bureau to act.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Entity's status as a public body under FOIA and OMA",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82071/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   },
   {
    "text": "A requester assumes that if they didn't get records, the search was automatically inadequate, without providing evidence that the body missed likely locations.",
    "why": "",
    "decisions": [
     {
      "title": "Inventory records of lost or stolen electronic devices",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-81235/#issue-1"
     },
     {
      "title": "Police activity forms for a park",
      "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82977/#issue-1"
     }
    ]
   }
  ],
  "caution": "These notes are based on non-binding determination letters; outcomes depend on specific facts, and you should verify the full PDF of any cited decision."
 },
 "issues": [
  {
   "issue": "Adequacy of CPD's search for responsive records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body must conduct a reasonable search tailored to the request, searching places reasonably likely to contain responsive records using reasonable search terms.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Police activity forms for a park",
    "date": "2024-12-02",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82977/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Campbell v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 164 F.3d 20, 28 (D.C. Cir. 1998)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Better Government Ass'n v. City of Chicago, 2020 IL App (1st) 190038, ¶ 31",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 373 F. Supp. 3d 120, 126 (D.D.C. 2019)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Hall v. C.I.A., 668 F. Supp. 2d 172, 183-84 (D.D.C. 2009)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Adequacy of Village's search for responsive records",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body must construe FOIA requests liberally and conduct a search reasonably calculated to locate all responsive records, not just those containing the requester's exact phrase.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Communications about incomplete fiscal audits",
    "date": "2025-05-08",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82313/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Southern Illinoisan v. Illinois Dep't of Public Health, 218 Ill. 2d 390, 415 (2006)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Better Government Ass'n v. City of Chicago, 2020 IL 190038, ¶ 31",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 373 F. Supp. 3d 120, 126 (D.D.C. 2019)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Hall v. C.I.A., 668 F. Supp. 2d 172, 183-84 (D.D.C. 2009)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Rugiero v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 257 F.3d 534, 547 (6th Cir. 2001)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Government Accountability Project v. U.S. Dep't of Homeland Sec., 335 F. Supp. 3d 7, 11-12 (D.D.C. 2018)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether Aurora Downtown is a public body under FOIA and OMA",
   "outcome": "no_determination",
   "rule": "The Public Access Bureau will take no further action in deference to a pending court proceeding that is performing the same factual analysis.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Entity's status as a public body under FOIA and OMA",
    "date": "2024-07-15",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-82071/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "River Breeze, LLC v. Granholm, 2022 IL App (2d) 210704",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2022%20IL%20App%20(2d)%20210704/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Better Government Ass' n v. Illinois High School Ass' n, 2017 IL 121124",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2016%20IL%20App%20(1st)%20151356/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Adequacy of CPS search for responsive inventory records",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body must conduct a reasonable search tailored to the request and search places reasonably likely to contain responsive records.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Inventory records of lost or stolen electronic devices",
    "date": "2025-06-13",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-81235/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Campbell v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 164 F.3d 20, 28 (D.C. Cir. 1998)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Better Government Ass'n v. City of Chicago, 2020 IL App (1st) 190038, ¶ 31",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 373 F. Supp. 3d 120, 126 (D.D.C. 2019)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Iturralde v. Comptroller of Currency, 315 F.3d 311, 315 (D.C. Cir. 2003)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Oglesby v. U.S. Department of the Army, 920 F.2d 57, 68 (D.C. Cir. 1990)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Adequacy of University's search for responsive records",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body must perform a reasonable search calculated to discover requested records, but is only required to provide records it actually created and retained.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Records of a Title IX investigation",
    "date": "2024-09-25",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-79406/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Southern Illinoisan v. Illinois Department of Public Health, 218 Ill. 2d 390, 415 (2006)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Better Government Ass'n v. City of Chicago, 2020 IL App (1st) 190038, ¶ 31",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Yeager v. Drug Enforcement Admin., 678 F.2d 315, 321 (D.C. Cir. 1982)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee v. United States Dep't of Homeland Security, 516 F. Supp. 2d 83, 88 (D.D.C. 2007)",
     "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2495983/american-arab-anti-discrimination-committee-v-us-department-of-homeland/"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "CPS did not improperly withhold Backlog Trend Report",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "FOIA does not require a public body to create new records or compile data it does not ordinarily maintain.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A custom data report from a school district's software vendor",
    "date": "2024-05-30",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-78983/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Hites v. Waubonsee Community College, 2016 IL App (2d) 150836",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2016%20IL%20App%20(2d)%20150836/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Chicago Tribune Co. v. Department of Financial & Professional Regulation, 2014 IL App (4th) 130427",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/2014%20IL%20App%20(4th)%20130427/"
    },
    {
     "text": "National Security Counselors v. Central Intelligence Agency, 898 F. Supp. 2d 233 (D.D.C. 2012)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Center for Investigative Reporting v. United States Department of Justice, 14 F.4th 916 (9th Cir. 2021)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Kenyon v. Garrels, 184 Ill. App. 3d 28 (1989)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/pre1996-129427/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Southern Illinoisan v. Illinois Department of Public Health, 218 Ill. 2d 390 (2006)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "Yeager v. Drug Administration, 678 F.2d 315 (D.C. Cir. 1982)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  }
 ]
}