FOIAFiler Request Library
How to Request Federal Investigation Records
The correct component depends on who conducted the investigation: FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, an Inspector General, or another agency. Routing the request to the investigating component is one of the biggest determinants of whether a search works.
Likely records custodian
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) ↗Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) ↗Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) ↗Department of Justice
U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) ↗Department of Justice
Starter request language
Records concerning the federal investigation of [person/event/organization], including case-opening records, reports, correspondence, memoranda, and closing records, for [date range].
Make the request easier to process
- Use the case number, field office, subject, event, and date range if known.
- Ask for identifiable record categories such as opening/closing memoranda, reports, correspondence, or final administrative records.
- For records about yourself, use a first-party FOIA/Privacy Act request and complete identity verification.
- For records about another living person, expect privacy restrictions unless you have consent or a strong applicable basis for disclosure.
Watch for this: Active enforcement matters, confidential sources, investigative techniques, and third-party personal information are common bases for withholding.
Search before filing
Check the agency’s reading room and FOIA.gov’s government-wide search first. If the records are already public, you can avoid a new request entirely.