How foia.direct counts requests, computes statistics, and verifies data

Every statistic, contact field, and intelligence score on this site is derived from foia.direct's own submitted records requests and tracked responses. This page describes the methodology behind those numbers, the verification cadence we apply to agency data, and the process for disputing anything you believe is inaccurate.

Last updated: 2026-05-21

01What we count

Our response-rate statistics are based on records requests we have submitted ourselves through this platform to U.S. law-enforcement agencies. Each tracked request includes the agency, jurisdiction, record type requested, submission channel, dates, and the agency's response. We do not include third-party requests, hypothetical requests, or extrapolated estimates.

• Total requests tracked: all records requests we have submitted to an agency, regardless of outcome.
• Fulfilled: requests where the agency released records to us, whether complete or partial.
• Denied: requests rejected on a statutory exemption, with the specific exemption code recorded where the agency provided it.
• Withdrawn: requests we closed without records being released, typically due to a fee invoice we declined or a duplicate filing.
• No records responsive: requests where the agency searched and reported no records matching the request.

02Sample-size disclosure

Every rate-based statistic published on a public page on this site is accompanied by a sample size. A claim like 0% bodycam fulfillment rate is meaningful at n=50 and noise at n=2. We do not hide the denominator.

03How we classify responses

Each response received from an agency is classified automatically into one of: acknowledgment, fee quote, partial fulfillment, full fulfillment, denial, no records responsive, or withdrawal. Classifications can be reviewed and corrected by a human reviewer. When the agency cites a specific statutory exemption (e.g. Fla. Stat. 119.071(2)(c)1 for active investigations), we record that citation as part of the denial record.

For agencies with low total volume, our published statistics may be a small sample. We disclose the sample size precisely so readers can weight it appropriately.

04How we verify agency contact data

Every published agency contact carries a verification date and a verification method. Methods include: direct response received, clerk email reply, portal account creation test, phone confirmation, public-website citation, and operator manual verification.

Default re-verification cadence:

• Contact email and mailing address: every 180 days
• Fee structure: every 90 days
• Statutory references: every 365 days

When a field passes its re-verification SLA, the page displays a staleness banner. If a field is not re-verified within 13 months, the page is removed from our sitemap until the data is refreshed.

05The "last verified" date on every page

Each agency page displays a Last verified date for the dataset on that page. If you encounter a contact email that bounces or an agency policy that has changed since our last verification, please use the Report this is wrong link on the page. Verified reports trigger a re-verification ticket and are resolved within 14 days.

06What we will not claim

• We will not publish a rate-based statistic about a named agency without a sample size and an as-of date.
• We will not infer behavior from a sample of fewer than 5 tracked requests without flagging the sample size as low.
• We will not attribute denial or delay to "bad faith" on the part of an agency. We report what happened, with the statutory citation when provided, and let readers draw their own conclusions.
• We will not present third-party data as our own. When we cite external sources (statutes, reporters' guides, agency-published policies), we link directly to the source.

07Corrections and disputes

If you are an agency representative, a journalist, or a member of the public and you believe a statistic, contact field, or intelligence claim on this site is inaccurate:

• Email corrections@foia.direct with the URL of the page and the specific claim you are disputing.
• We will acknowledge within 72 hours and resolve within 14 days.
• If we conclude the claim was wrong, we will correct it and post a public retraction note on the page.
• If we conclude the claim was accurate, we will respond in writing with our supporting evidence.

Agencies that would prefer their information be removed entirely from our public pages may also request that via the same address. We will remove in good faith within 14 days of a verified request.