{
 "topic": "FOIA section 9(a)",
 "statute": "5 ILCS 140/9(a)",
 "family": "Denials and notice requirements",
 "page": "https://illinoisfoia.org/issues/foia-9-a/",
 "note": "Determination letters are non-binding. Verify against the source PDF before citing.",
 "counts": {
  "violation_found": 3,
  "no_violation": 1,
  "no_determination": 0,
  "other": 0
 },
 "challenge_notes": null,
 "issues": [
  {
   "issue": "No expense reports or reimbursement requests",
   "outcome": "no_violation",
   "rule": "A public body need not provide a denial notice for records it does not maintain, and searching for non-existent records would be futile.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A village employee's timesheets, expense reports, and economic interest statements",
    "date": "2024-12-17",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-83586/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Kenyon v. Garrels, 184 Ill. App. 3d 28, 32 (1989)",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/cases/pre1996-129427/"
    },
    {
     "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": "Denial notice failed to comply with section 9(a)",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body denying a FOIA request must notify the requester of the reasons for denial, the exemption claimed, a detailed factual basis, and the names and titles of responsible persons.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "Application materials for a housing development assessment",
    "date": "2024-06-24",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-79594/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  },
  {
   "issue": "Department improperly redacted responsive record",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "A public body denying a request must provide a detailed factual basis for any exemption claimed and bears the burden of proving the exemption by clear and convincing evidence.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A summary of responses to an Invitation for Proposals",
    "date": "2023-05-25",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-75440/"
   },
   "authorities": [
    {
     "text": "Ill. Att'y Gen. Pub. Acc. Op. No. 12-009",
     "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/2012-pac-18530/"
    },
    {
     "text": "Dunaway v. Webster, 519 F. Supp. 1059, 1083 (N.D.Cal. 1981)",
     "url": null
    },
    {
     "text": "LaCedra v. Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, 317 F.3d 345, 348 (D.C. Cir. 2003)",
     "url": null
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "issue": "Whether the denial letter complied with section 9(a) name and title requirements",
   "outcome": "violation_found",
   "rule": "Section 9(a) requires a public body to identify the person responsible for a denial by name and title; 'Legislative Reference Bureau' does not satisfy this requirement.",
   "decision": {
    "title": "A legislative reference bureau's denial letter",
    "date": "2023-12-11",
    "binding": false,
    "url": "https://illinoisfoia.org/opinions/letter-56946/"
   },
   "authorities": []
  }
 ]
}