LANSING, Mich. — Michigan residents don’t have to be journalists or attorneys to request public records from government agencies, but knowing how to properly file a Freedom of Information Act request can make the process faster, less expensive and more effective, according to attorney Philip Ellison.
Ellison, an attorney with Outside Legal Counsel, said the first step is visiting a public body’s website, where state law requires agencies to publish their Freedom of Information Act procedures and identify their FOIA coordinator. While many agencies provide request forms, residents are not required to use them and may instead submit a written request by letter, email, fax or mail.
“The magic thing you want to do with a request is make sure you either put the word ‘FOIA’ or ‘Freedom of Information Act,’” Ellison said, explaining that doing so helps ensure the request is routed to the proper office…