You are browsing the archives of January 2009.

In their recent book, Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and attorney Bryan A. Garner advise that in preparing for a trial, conducting public records research on its participants can be invaluable to winning the case.

A recent New York Times article describes the formidable process of transferring the Bush Administration’s records over to the National Archives, and the unprecedented difficulty presented by how much of these records are now electronic. Owing largely to e-mail, “the electronic record of the Bush years about 50 times as large as that left [...]

On his first full day in office, President Barack Obama ordered an increase in government transparency by expanding the interpretation of the Freedom of Information Act. To obtain many types of public records, a written request must be submitted to the controlling agency. However, rules for granting or restricting access to the requested record will now resemble those in place before the Bush administration.

Buying a house is a daunting project, so choosing a qualified realtor is an important step in the process. With the housing market declining, realtors may be more likely to take advantage of naïve house-hunters. Word of mouth is a good way to begin the process of finding a reliable realtor, but following up with public records and online information is necessary.

The web site FlightAware releases information about aircraft whereabouts or registration status, eliminating the need for lengthy freedom of information requests through the Federal Aviation Administration.

In an increasingly interconnected world, there is a premium on understanding how foreign governments and businesses work to influence U.S. policy and public opinion. Read here to learn about which public records can be used to learn about foreign lobbying.

Buying a house is a big decision financially and thus many different variables must be taken into consideration to ensure a wise choice. Fortunately, many resources for looking into your prospective neighborhood are readily available online and in public records.

Budget Travel blogger Sam O’Neil recently demonstrated how you can obtain your own foreign travel record with a simple FOIA request.

In the coming weeks and months, individuals will be nominated by the Obama White House to serve in various federal agencies and judicial positions. Here we provide an overview of the federal nomination and confirmation process and the role that public records play in the success or failure of nominees.