28 C.F.R. PART 802—DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS
Title 28 - Judicial Administration
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301, 552, 552a; Pub. L. 105–33, 111 Stat. 251, 712 (D.C. Code 24–1232, 24–1233).
Source: 68 FR 32986, June 3, 2003, unless otherwise noted.
This part contains regulations of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia (“CSOSA” or “Agency”) and the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency (“PSA” or “Agency”) which implement the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, and the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and provide for the production of records in response to a demand from a court or other non-congressional authority in connection with a proceeding to which the Agency is not a party. The purpose of this subpart is to establish procedures for the release of records in the possession of the Agency pursuant to the provisions of the FOIA. (a) The authority to release or deny access to records and information under the FOIA is limited to the General Counsel and his or her designee. (b) An agency record will be released in response to a written request, unless a valid legal exemption to disclosure is asserted. (1) Any applicable exemption to disclosure which is provided under the FOIA in 5 U.S.C. 552 may be asserted. (2) A record must exist and be in the possession and control of the agency at the time of the request to be considered subject to this part and the FOIA. There is no obligation to create, compile, or obtain a record to satisfy a FOIA request. (3) Hard copy of electronic records that are subject to FOIA requests under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3), and that are available to the public through an established distribution system or through the As used in this subpart, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) Agency has the meaning given in 5 U.S.C. 551(1) and 5 U.S.C. 552(f). (b) Appeal means a request for a review of the agency's determination with regard to a fee waiver, category of requester, expedited processing, or denial in whole or in part of a request for access to a record or records. (c) Business information means trade secrets or other commercial or financial information. (d) Business submitter means any entity which provides business information to the Agency and which has a proprietary interest in the information. (e) Computer software means tools by which records are created, stored, and retrieved. Normally, computer software, including source code, object code, and listings of source and object codes, regardless of medium, are not agency records. Proprietary (or copyrighted) software is not an agency record. (f) Confidential commercial information means records provided to the government by a submitter that arguably contain material exempt from release under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4), because disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause substantial competitive harm. (g) Duplication refers to the process of making a copy of a record in order to respond to a FOIA request. Such copies can take the form of paper copy, microform, audio-visual materials, or machine-readable documentation (e.g., magnetic tape or disk), among others. (h) Electronic records mean those records and information which are created, stored, and retrievable by electronic means. This ordinarily does not include computer software, which is a tool by which to create, store, or retrieve electronic records. (i) Request means any request for records made pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3). (j) Requester means any person who makes a request for access to records. (k) Review, for fee purposes, refers to the process of examining records located in response to a commercial use request to determine whether any portion of any record located is permitted to be withheld. It also includes processing any records for disclosure; e.g., doing all that is necessary to excise them and otherwise prepare them for release. (l) Search includes all time spent looking for material that is responsive to a request, including page-by-page or line-by-line identification of material within records. Searches may be done manually or by automated means. (a) Submission, processing, and release procedures. (1) Requests for any record (including policy) ordinarily will be processed pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. Your request must be made in writing and addressed to the FOIA Officer, Office of the General Counsel, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004. The requester should clearly mark on the face of the letter and the envelope “Freedom of Information Request.” (2) Your request will be considered received as of the date it is received by the FOIA Office. For quickest possible handling, you should mark both your request letter and the envelope “Freedom of Information Act Request.” (3) Generally, all FOIA requests will be processed in the approximate order of receipt, unless the requester shows exceptional circumstances exist to justify an expedited response (see §802.8). (4) You must state in your request a firm agreement to pay the fees for search, duplication, and review as may ultimately be determined. The agreement may state the upper limit (but not less than $25) that the requester is willing to pay for processing the request. A request that fees be waived or reduced may accompany the agreement to pay fees and will be considered to the extent that such request is made in accordance with §802.4(b) and provides supporting information to be measured against the fee waiver standard set forth in §802.9(g). The requester shall be notified in writing of the decision to grant or deny the fee waiver. If a requester has an outstanding balance of search, review, or duplication fees due for FOIA request processing, the requirements of this paragraph are not met until the requester has remitted the outstanding balance due. (b) Description of records sought. You must describe the records that you seek in enough detail to enable Agency personnel to locate them with a reasonable amount of effort. Whenever possible, your request should include specific information about each record sought, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient and subject matter of the record. As a general rule, the more specific you are about the records or type of records that you want, the more likely the Agency will be able to locate the records in response to your request. If a determination is made that your request does not reasonably describe records, the Agency will tell you either what additional information is needed or why your request is otherwise insufficient. You will be given the opportunity to discuss your request so that you may modify it to meet the requirements of this section. (1) If a document contains information exempt from disclosure, any reasonably segregable portion of the record will be provided to you after deletion of the exempt portions. (2) You will be notified of the decision on the request within 20 days after its receipt (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays). (a) Documents from or relating to Federal agencies. (1) When a request for records includes a document from another Federal agency, the document will be referred to the originating Federal agency for a determination of its releasability. The requester will be informed of the referral. This is not a denial of a FOIA request; thus no appeal rights accrue to the requester. (2) When a FOIA request is received for a record created by the Agency that includes information originated by another federal agency, the record will be referred to the originating agency for review and recommendation on disclosure. The Agency will not release any such record without prior consultation with the originating agency. (b) Documents from non-Federal agencies. When a request for records includes a document from a non-Federal agency, CSOSA staff must make a determination of its releasability. (a) Denial in whole or in part. If it is determined that the request for records should be denied in whole or in part, the requester shall be notified by mail. The letter of notification shall: (1) State the exemptions relied on in not granting the request; (2) If technically feasible, indicate the amount of information deleted at the place in the record where such deletion is made (unless providing such indication would harm an interest protected by the exemption relied upon to deny such material); (3) Set forth the name and title or position of the responsible official; (4) Advise the requester of the right to administrative appeal in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section; and (5) Specify the official or office to which such appeal shall be submitted. (b) No records found. If it is determined, after a thorough search for records by the responsible official or his delegate, that no records have been found to exist, the responsible official will so notify the requester in writing. The letter of notification will advise the requester of the right to administratively appeal the determination that no records exist (i.e., to challenge the adequacy of the search for responsive records) in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. The response shall specify the official or office to which the appeal shall be submitted for review. (c) Administrative appeal. (1) A requester may appeal an initial determination when: (i) Access to records has been denied in whole or in part; (ii) There has been an adverse determination of the requester's category as provided in §802.10(d); (iii) A request for fee waiver or reduction has been denied; or (iv) It has been determined that no responsive records exist. (2) Appeals must be made within 30 days of the receipt of the letter denying the request. Both the envelope and the letter of appeal should be sent to the Office of the General Counsel, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Room 1220, Washington, DC 20004 and must be clearly marked “Freedom of Information Act Appeal.” (3) The General Counsel will make an appeal determination within 20 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) from the date of receipt of the appeal. However, for a good reason, this time limit may be extended up to an additional 10 days. If, after review, the General Counsel determines that additional information should be released, it will accompany the appeal response. If, after review, the General Counsel determines to uphold the initial review, we will inform you. (a) Requests and appeals will be taken out of order and given expedited treatment whenever staff determines that they involve: (1) Circumstances in which the lack of expedited treatment could reasonably be expected to pose an imminent threat to the life or physical safety of an individual. The requester must fully explain the circumstances warranting such an expected threat so that the Agency may make a reasoned determination. (2) With respect to a request made by a person primarily engaged in disseminating information, a matter of widespread and exceptional media interest in which there exist possible questions about the government's integrity which affect public confidence. A person “primarily engaged in disseminating information” does not include individuals who are engaged only incidentally in the dissemination of information. The standard of “widespread and exceptional media interest” requires that the records requested pertain to a matter of current exigency to the American public and that delaying a response to a request for records would compromise a significant recognized interest to and throughout the general public. The requester must adequately explain the matter or activity and why it is necessary to provide the records being sought on an expedited basis. (b) If you seek expedited processing, you must submit a statement, certified to be true and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief. The statement must be in the form prescribed by 28 U.S.C. 1746, “I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Executed on [date].” (c) The determination as to whether to grant or deny the request for expedited processing will be made, and the requester notified, within ten days after the date of the request. Because a decision to take a FOIA request out of order delays other requests, simple fairness demands that such a decision be made by the FOIA Officer only upon careful scrutiny of truly exceptional circumstances. The decision will be made solely based on the information contained in the initial letter requesting expedited processing. (d) Appeals of initial determinations to deny expedited processing must be made promptly. Both the envelope and the letter of appeal should be sent to the Office of the General Counsel, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Room 1220, Washington, DC 2004 and must be clearly marked “Expedited Processing Appeal.” (e) The General Counsel will make an appeal determination regarding expedited processing as soon as practicable. (a) In general. Business information provided to the Agency by a business submitter will not be disclosed pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request except in accordance with this section. Any claim of confidentiality must be supported by a statement by an authorized representative of the company providing specific justification that the information in question is in fact confidential commercial or financial information and has not been disclosed to the public. (b) Notice to business submitters. The Agency will provide a business submitter with prompt written notice of receipt of a request or appeal encompassing its business information whenever required in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, and except as is provided in paragraph (g) of this section. Such written notice shall either describe the exact nature of the business information requested or provide copies of the records or portions of records containing the business information. (c) When notice is required. (1) Notice of a request for business information falling within paragraph (c)(2)(i) or (ii) of this section will be required for a period of not more than ten years after the date of submission unless the business submitter had requested, and provided acceptable justification for, a specific notice period of greater duration. (2) The Agency shall provide a business submitter with notice of receipt of a request or appeal whenever: (i) The business submitter has in good faith designated the information as commercially or financially sensitive information, or (ii) The Agency has reason to believe that disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to cause substantial competitive harm. (d) Opportunity to object to disclosure. (1) Through the notice described in paragraph (b) of this section, the Agency shall afford a business submitter ten days from the date of the notice (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) to provide a detailed statement of any objection to disclosure. Such statement shall specify why the business submitter believes the information is considered to be a trade secret or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential. Information provided by a business submitter pursuant to this paragraph might itself be subject to disclosure under the FOIA. (2) When notice is given to a submitter under this section, the requester shall be advised that such notice has been given to the submitter. The requester shall be further advised that a delay in responding to the request may be considered a denial of access to records and that the requester may proceed with an administrative appeal or seek judicial review, if appropriate. However, the requester will be invited to agree to a voluntary extension of time so that staff may review the business submitter's objection to disclose. (e) Notice of intent to disclose. The Agency will consider carefully a business submitter's objections and specific grounds for nondisclosure prior to determining whether to disclose business information. Whenever a decision to disclose business information over the objection of a business submitter is made, the Agency shall forward to the business submitter a written notice which shall include: (1) A statement of the reasons for which the business submitter's disclosure objections were not sustained; (2) A description of the business information to be disclosed; and (3) A specified disclosure date which is not less than ten days (exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) after the notice of the final decision to release the requested information has been mailed to the submitter. (f) Notice of FOIA lawsuit. Whenever a requester brings suit seeking to compel disclosure of business information covered by paragraph (c) of this section, the Agency shall promptly notify the business submitter. (g) Exception to notice requirement. The notice requirements of this section shall not apply if: (1) The Agency determines that the information shall not be disclosed; (2) The information lawfully has been published or otherwise made available to the public; or (3) Disclosure of the information is required by law (other than 5 U.S.C. 552). (a) The fees described in this section conform to the Office of Management and Budget Uniform Freedom of Information Act Fee Schedule and Guidelines. They reflect direct costs for search, review (in the case of commercial requesters), and duplication of documents, collection of which is permitted by the FOIA. However, for each of these categories, the fees may be limited, waived, or reduced for the reasons given below or for other reasons. (b) The term direct costs means those expenditures the agency actually makes in searching for, review (in the case of commercial requesters), and duplicating documents to respond to a FOIA request. (c) Fees shall be charged in accordance with the schedule contained in paragraph (i) of this section for services rendered in responding to requests for records, unless any one of the following applies: (1) Services were performed without charge; (2) The fees were waived or reduced in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section. (d) Specific levels of fees are prescribed for each of the following categories of requesters. (1) Commercial use requesters. These requesters are assessed charges, which recover the full direct costs of searching for, reviewing, and duplicating the records sought. Commercial use requesters are not entitled to two hours of free search time or 100 free pages of duplication of documents. Moreover, when a request is received for disclosure that is primarily in the commercial interest of the requester, the Agency is not required to consider a request for a waiver or reduction of fees based upon the assertion that disclosure would be in the public interest. The Agency may recover the cost of searching for and reviewing records even if there is ultimately no disclosure of records, or no records are located. (2) Educational and non-commercial scientific institution requesters. Records shall be provided to requesters in these categories for the cost of duplication alone, excluding charges for the first 100 pages. To be eligible, requesters must show that the request is made under the auspices of a qualifying institution and that the records are not sought for a commercial use, but are sought in furtherance of scholarly (if the request is from an educational institution) or scientific (if the request is from a non-commercial scientific institution) research. These categories do not include requesters who want records for use in meeting individual academic research or study requirements. (3) Requesters who are representatives of the news media. Records shall be provided to requesters in this category for the cost of duplication alone, excluding charges for the first 100 pages. (4) All other requesters. Requesters who do not fit any of the categories described in paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section shall be charged fees that will recover the full direct cost of searching for and duplicating records that are responsive to the request, except that the first 100 pages of duplication and the first two hours of search time shall be furnished without charge. The Agency may recover the cost of searching for records even if there is ultimately no disclosure of records, or no records are located. Requests from persons for records about themselves filed in a systems of records shall continue to be treated under the fee provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 which permit fees only for duplication. (e) Fee waiver determination. Where the initial request includes a request for reduction or waiver of fees, the responsible official shall determine whether to grant the request for reduction or waiver before processing the request and notify the requester of this decision. If the decision does not waive all fees, the responsible official shall advise the requester of the fact that fees shall be assessed and, if applicable, payment must be made in advance pursuant to paragraph (g) of this section. (f) Waiver or reduction of fees. (1) Fees may be waived or reduced on a case-by-case basis in accordance with this paragraph by the official who determines the availability of the records, provided such waiver or reduction has been requested in writing. Fees shall be waived or reduced by this official when it is determined, based upon the submission of the requester, that a waiver or reduction of the fees is in the public interest because furnishing the information is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. Fee waiver/reduction requests shall be evaluated against the current fee waiver policy guidance issued by the Department of Justice. (2) Appeals from denials of requests for waiver or reduction of fees shall be decided in accordance with the criteria set forth in this section by the official authorized to decide appeals from denials of access to records. Appeals shall be addressed in writing to the Office of the General Counsel, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, Office of the General Counsel, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004 within 30 days of the denial of the initial request for waiver or reduction and shall be decided within 20 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays). (3) Appeals from an adverse determination of the requester's category as described in paragraphs (d)(1) through (3) of this section shall be decided by the official authorized to decide appeals from denials of access to records and shall be based upon a review of the requester's submission and the Agency's own records. Appeals shall be addressed in writing to the office or officer specified in §802.7(c)(2) within 30 days of the receipt of the Agency's determination of the requester's category and shall be decided within 20 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays). (g) Advance notice of fees. (1) When the fees for processing the request are estimated to exceed the limit set by the requester, and that amount is less than $250.00, the requester shall be notified of the estimated costs. The requester must provide an agreement to pay the estimated costs; however, the requester will also be given an opportunity to reformulate the request in an attempt to reduce fees. (2) If the requester has failed to state a limit and the costs are estimated to exceed $250.00, the requester shall be notified of the estimated costs and must pre-pay such amount prior to the processing of the request, or provide satisfactory assurance of full payment if the requester has a history of prompt payment of FOIA fees. The requester will also be given an opportunity to reformulate the request in an attempt to reduce fees. (h) Form of payment. (1) Payment may be made by check or money order payable to the Treasury of the United States. (2) The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency reserves the right to request prepayment after a request is processed and before documents are released in the following circumstances. (i) When costs are estimated or determined to exceed $250.00, the Agency shall either obtain satisfactory assurance of full payment of the estimated cost where the requester has a history of prompt payment of FOIA fees or require the requester to make an advance payment of the entire estimated or determined fee before continuing to process the request. (ii) If a requester has previously failed to pay a fee within 30 days of the date of the billing, the requester shall be required to pay the full amount owed plus any applicable interest, and to make an advance payment of the full amount of the estimated fee before the Agency begins to process a new request or the pending request. Whenever interest is charged, the Agency shall begin assessing interest on the 31st day following the day on which billing was sent. Interest shall be at the rate prescribed in 31 U.S.C. 3717. (i) Amounts to be charged for specific services. The fees for services performed by an employee of the Agency shall be imposed and collected as set forth in this paragraph. (1) Duplicating records. All requesters, except commercial requesters, shall receive the first 100 pages duplicated without charge; the first two hours of search time free; or charge which total $10.00 or less. Fees for the copies are to be calculated as follows: (i) The duplication cost is calculated by multiplying the number of pages in excess of 100 by $0.25. (ii) Photographs, films, and other materials—actual cost of duplication. (iii) Other types of duplication services not mentioned above—actual cost. (iv) Material provided to a private contractor for copying shall be charged to the requester at the actual cost charged by the private contractor. (2) Search services. The cost of search time is calculated by multiplying the number of quarter hours in excess of two hours by the following rates for the staff conducting the search: (i) $7.00 per quarter hour for clerical staff; (ii) $10.00 per quarter hour for professional staff; and (iii) $14.00 per quarter hour for managerial personnel. (3) Only fees in excess of $10.00 will be assessed. This means that the total cost must be greater than $10.00, either for the cost of the search (for time in excess of two hours), for the cost of duplication (for pages in excess of 100), or for both costs combined. (j) Searches for electronic records. The Agency shall charge for actual direct cost of the search, including computer search time, runs, and the operator's salary. The fee for computer output shall be actual direct costs. For requesters in the “all other” category, when the cost of the search (including the operator time and the cost of operating the computer to process a request) equals the equivalent dollar amount of two hours of the salary of the person performing the search (i.e., the operator), the charge for the computer search will begin. (k) Aggregating requests. When the Agency reasonably believes that a requester or group of requesters is attempting to break a request down into a series of requests for the purpose of evading the assessment of fees, the Agency shall aggregate any such requests and charge accordingly. The regulations in this subpart apply to all records which are contained in a system of records maintained by the Agency and which are retrieved by an individual's name or personal identifier. This subpart implements the Privacy Act by establishing Agency policy and procedures providing for the maintenance of and guaranteed access to records. Under these procedures: (a) You can ask us whether we maintain records about you or obtain access to your records; and (b) You may seek to have your record corrected or amended if you believe that your record is not accurate, timely, complete, or relevant. As used in this subpart, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (a) Agency has the meaning as defined in 5 U.S.C. 552(e). (b) Individual means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. (c) Maintain includes maintain, collect, use, or disseminate. (d) Record means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by the Agency. This includes, but is not limited to, the individual's education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and that contains the name, or an identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a fingerprint or a photograph. (e) System of records means a group of any records under the control of the Agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual. (f) Statistical record means a record in a system of records maintained for statistical research or reporting purposes only and not used in whole or part in making any determination about an identifiable individual, except as provided by 13 U.S.C. 8. (g) Routine use means the disclosure of a record that is compatible with the purpose for which the record was collected. (h) Request for access means a request made pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(1). (i) Request for amendment means a request made pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(d)(2). (j) Request for accounting means a request made pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3). (a) Requests for your own records. When you make a request for access to records about yourself, you must verify your identity. You must state your full name, current address, and date and place of birth. You must sign your request and your signature must either be notarized or submitted by you under 28 U.S.C. 1746. In order to help the identification and location of requested records, you may also, at your option, include your social security number. (b) Requests on behalf of another. Information that concerns an individual and that is contained in a system of records maintained by the Agency shall not be disclosed to any person, or to another agency, except under the provisions of the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a, or the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. (c) Disclosure criteria. Staff may disclose information from an agency system of records only if one or more of the following criteria apply: (1) With the written consent of the individual to whom the record pertains. (2) Pursuant to a specific exception listed under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a(b)). For example, specific exceptions allow disclosure: (i) To employees within the Agency who have a need for the record in the performance of their duties. (ii) If disclosure is required under FOIA when the public interest in disclosure of the information outweighs the privacy interest involved. (iii) For a routine use described in the agency system of records as published in the (A) The published notices for these systems describe the records contained in each system and the routine uses for disclosing these records without first obtaining the consent of the person to whom the records pertain. (B) CSOSA publishes notices of system of records, including all pertinent routine uses, in the (a) Submission and processing procedures. (1) Requests for any agency record about yourself ordinarily will be processed pursuant to the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a. Such a request must be made in writing and addressed to the FOIA Officer, Office of the General Counsel, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004. The requester should clearly mark on the face of the letter and the envelope “Privacy Act Request.” (2) Your request will be considered received as of the date it is received by the Office of the General Counsel. For quickest possible handling, you should mark both your request letter and the envelope “Privacy Act Request.” (3) You must describe the records that you seek in enough detail to enable Agency personnel to locate them with a reasonable amount of effort. Whenever possible, your request should include specific information about each record sought, such as the date, title or name, author, recipient and subject matter of the record. As a general rule, the more specific you are about the records or type of records that you want, the more likely the Agency will be able to locate the records in response to your request. If a determination is made that your request does not reasonably describe records, the Agency will tell you either what additional information is needed or why your request is otherwise insufficient. You will be given the opportunity to discuss your request so that you may modify it to meet the requirements of this section. (b) Release and review procedures. Upon written request by an individual to gain access to his or her records which are not otherwise exempted, CSOSA shall permit the individual and, upon the individual's request, a person of his or her choosing to accompany him or her, to review the record and have a copy of all or any portion of the record. If a document contains information exempt from disclosure under the Privacy Act, any reasonably segregable portion of the record will be provided to the requester after deletion of the exempt portions. (2) A requester will be notified of the decision on the request in writing. (3) Generally, all Privacy Act requests will be processed in the approximate order of receipt, unless the requester shows exceptional circumstances exist to justify an expedited response (see §802.8). (a) Denial in whole or in part. If it is determined that the request for records should be denied in whole or in part, the requester shall be notified by mail. The letter of notification shall: (1) State the PA and FOIA exemptions relied on in not granting the request; (2) If technically feasible, indicate the amount of information deleted at the place in the record where such deletion is made (unless providing such indication would harm an interest protected by the exemption relied upon to deny such material); (3) Set forth the name and title or position of the responsible official; (4) Advise the requester of the right to an administrative appeal in accordance with §802.16; and (5) Specify the official or office to which such appeal shall be submitted. (b) No records found. If it is determined, after a thorough search for records by the responsible official or his delegate, that no records have been found to exist, the responsible official will so notify the requester in writing. The letter of notification will advise the requester of the right to administratively appeal the determination that no records exist (i.e., to challenge the adequacy of the search for responsive records) in accordance with §802.16. The notification shall specify the official or office to which the appeal shall be submitted for review. (a) A requester may appeal an Agency initial determination when: (1) Access to records has been denied in whole or in part; or (2) It has been determined that no responsive records exist. (b) Appeals of initial determinations must be made within 30 days of the receipt of the letter denying the request. Both the envelope and the letter of appeal should be sent to the Office of the General Counsel, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, 633 Indiana Avenue, NW., Room 1220, Washington, DC 20004 and must be clearly marked “Privacy Act Appeal.” (c) The General Counsel will make an appeal determination within 30 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) from the date of receipt of the appeal. However, for a good reason, this time limit may be extended. If, after review, the General Counsel determines that additional information should be released, it will accompany the appeal response. If, after review, the General Counsel determines to uphold the initial review, we will inform you of that decision. (a)(1) Documents from or pertaining to Federal agencies. When a request for records includes a document from another Federal agency, the document will be referred to the originating Federal agency for a determination of its releasability. The requester will be informed of the referral. This is not a denial of a Privacy Act request; thus no appeal rights accrue to the requester. (2) When a Privacy Act request is received for a record created by the Agency that includes information originated by another Federal agency, the record will be referred to the originating agency for review and recommendation on disclosure. The Agency will not release any such record without prior consultation with the originating agency. (b) Documents from non-Federal agencies. When a request for records includes a document from a non-Federal agency, CSOSA staff must make a determination of its releasability. This section applies to all records kept by the Agency except for records of earnings. If you believe your record is not accurate, relevant, timely, or complete, you may request that your record be corrected or amended. A request for correction or amendment must identify the particular record in question, state the correction or amendment sought, and set forth the justification for the correction. To amend or correct your record, you should write to the Office of the General Counsel identified in §802.14(a)(1). You should submit any available evidence to support your request. Both the request and the envelope must be clearly marked “Privacy Act Correction Request.” Your request should indicate: (a) The system of records from which the record is retrieved; (b) The particular record which you want to correct or amend; (c) Whether you want to add, delete or substitute information in the records; and (d) Your reasons for believing that your record should be corrected or amended. (a) The system manager may grant or deny requests for correction of agency records. One basis for denial may be that the records are contained in an agency system of records that has been published in the (1) Any denial of a request for correction should contain a statement of the reason for denial and notice to the requester that the denial may be appealed to the General Counsel by filing a written appeal. (2) The appeal should be marked on the face of the letter and the envelope, “PRIVACY APPEAL—DENIAL OF CORRECTION,” and be addressed to the Office of the General Counsel, address cited at §802.14(a)(1). (3) The General Counsel will review your request within 30 days from the date of receipt. However, for a good reason, this time limit may be extended. If, after review, the General Counsel determines that the record should be corrected, the record will be corrected. If, after review, the General Counsel refuses to amend the record exactly as you requested, we will inform you: (i) That your request has been refused and the reason; (ii) That this refusal is the Agency's final decision; (iii) That you have a right to seek court review of this request to amend the record; and (iv) That you have a right to file a statement of disagreement with the decision. Your statement should include the reason you disagree. We will make your statement available to anyone to whom the record is subsequently disclosed, together with a statement of our reasons for refusing to amend the record. (b) Requests for correction of records prepared by other federal agencies shall be forwarded to that agency for appropriate action and the requester will be immediately notified of the referral in writing. (c) When the request is for correction of non-Federal records, the requester will be advised to write to that non-Federal entity. (a) We will provide an accounting of all disclosures of a record for five years or until the record is destroyed, whichever is longer, except that no accounting will be provided to the record subject for disclosures made to law enforcement agencies and no accounting will be made for: (1) Disclosures made under the FOIA; (2) Disclosures made within the agency; and (3) Disclosures of your record made with your written consent. (b) The accounting will include: (1) The date, nature, and purpose of the disclosure; and (2) The name and address of the person or entity to whom the disclosure is made. (c) You may request access to an accounting of disclosures of your record. Your request should be in accordance with the procedures in §802.14. You will be granted access to an accounting of the disclosures of your record in accordance with the procedures of this part which govern access to the related record, excepting disclosures made for an authorized civil or criminal law enforcement agency as provided by subsection (c)(3) of the Privacy Act. You will be required to provide reasonable identification. You may appeal a denial of a request for an accounting to the Office of the General Counsel in the same manner as a denial of a request for access to records (See §802.16) and the same procedures will be followed. The Agency shall charge fees under the Privacy Act for duplication of records only. These fees shall be at the same rate the Agency charges for duplication fees under the Freedom of Information Act (See §802.10(i)(1)). (a) In general. An individual shall not be denied any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such individual's refusal to disclose his or her social security number. (b) Exceptions. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply with respect to: (1) Any disclosure which is required by Federal statute, or (2) The disclosure of a social security number to any Federal, State, or local agency maintaining a system of records in existence and operating before January 1, 1975, if such disclosure was required under statute or regulation adopted prior to such date to verify the identity of an individual. (c) Requests for disclosure of social security number. If the Agency requests an individual to disclose his or her social security account number, we shall inform that individual whether: (1) Disclosure is mandatory or voluntary. (2) By what statutory or other authority such number is solicited, and (3) What uses will be made of it. (a) These regulations state the procedures which the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (“CSOSA” or “Agency”) and the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency (“PSA” or “Agency”) follow in response to a demand from a Federal, state, or local administrative body for the production and disclosure of material in connection with a proceeding to which the Agency is not a party. (b) These regulations do not apply to congressional requests. Neither do these regulations apply in the case of an employee making an appearance solely in his or her private capacity in judicial or administrative proceedings that do not relate to the Agency (such as cases arising out of traffic accidents, domestic relations, etc.). (c) This part is not intended and does not create and may not be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by a party against the United States or specifically CSOSA or PSA. Demand means a request, order, or subpoena for testimony or documents to use in a legal proceeding. Employee includes a person employed in any capacity by CSOSA or PSA, currently or in the past; any person appointed by, or subject to the supervision, jurisdiction, or control of the head of the Agency, or any Agency official, currently or in the past. A person who is subject to the Agency's jurisdiction or control includes any person who hired as a contractor by the agency, any person performing services for the agency under an agreement, and any consultant, contractor, or subcontractor of such person. A former employee is also considered an employee only when the matter about which the person would testify is one in which he or she was personally involved while at the Agency, or where the matter concerns official information that the employee acquired while working at the Agency, such as sensitive or confidential agency information. Legal Proceeding includes any pretrial, trial, and post-trial state of any existing or reasonably anticipated judicial or administrative action, hearing, investigation, or similar proceeding before a court, commission, board, agency, or other tribunal, authority or entity, foreign or domestic. Legal proceeding also includes any deposition or other pretrial proceeding, including a formal or informal request for testimony made by an attorney or other person, or a request for documents gathered or drafted by an employee. If, in connection with a proceeding to which the Agency is not a party, an employee receives a demand from a court or other authority for material contained in the Agency's files, any information relating to material contained in the Agency's files, or any information or material acquired by an employee as a part of the performance of that person's official duties or because of that person's official status, the employee must: (a) Immediately notify the Office of the General Counsel and forward the demand to the General Counsel if the demand pertains to CSOSA; or (b) Immediately notify the Deputy Director of PSA and forward the demand to the Deputy Director if the demand pertains to PSA. The General Counsel is responsible for determining if CSOSA should comply or not comply with the demand, and the Deputy Director of PSA is responsible for determining if PSA should comply with the demand. (a) An employee may not produce any documents, or provide testimony regarding any information relating to, or based upon Agency documents, or disclose any information or produce materials acquired as part of the performance of that employee's official duties, or because of that employee's official status without prior authorization from the General Counsel or Deputy Director. The reasons for this policy are as follows: (1) To conserve the time of the agency for conducting official business; (2) To minimize the possibility of involving the agency in controversial issues that are not related to the agency's mission; (3) To prevent the possibility that the public will misconstrue variances between personal opinions of agency employees and agency policies; (4) To avoid spending the time and money of the United States for private purposes; (5) To preserve the integrity of the administrative process; and (6) To protect confidential, sensitive information and the deliberative process of the agency. (b) An attorney from the Office of the General Counsel shall appear with any CSOSA employee upon whom the demand has been made (and with any PSA employee if so requested by the Deputy Director), and shall provide the court or other authority with a copy of the regulations contained in this part. The attorney shall also inform the court or authority that the demand has been or is being referred for prompt consideration by the General Counsel or Deputy Director. The court or other authority will be requested respectfully to stay the demand pending receipt of the requested instructions from the General Counsel or Deputy Director. (c) If the court or other authority declines to stay the effect of the demand pending receipt of instructions from the General Counsel or Deputy Director, or if the court or other authority rules that the demand must be complied with irrespective of the instructions from the General Counsel or Deputy Director not to produce the material or disclose the information sought, the employee upon whom the demand was made shall respectfully decline to produce the information under United States ex rel. Touhy v. Ragen, 340 U.S. 462 (1951). In this case, the Supreme Court held that a government employee could not be held in contempt for following an agency regulation requiring agency approval before producing government information in response to a court order. (d) To achieve the purposes noted in paragraphs (a)(1) through (6) of this section, the agency will consider factors such as the following in determining whether a demand should be complied with: (1) The Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 522a; (2) Department of Health and Human Services statute and regulations concerning drug and alcohol treatment programs found at 42 U.S.C. 290dd and 42 CFR 2.1 et seq.; (3) The Victims Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 10606(b); (4) D.C. statutes and regulations; (5) Any other state or federal statute or regulation; (6) Whether disclosure is appropriate under the rules of procedure governing the case or matter in which the demand arose; (7) Whether disclosure is appropriate under the relevant substantive law concerning privilege; (8) Whether disclosure would reveal a confidential source or informant, unless the investigative agency and the source or informant have no objection; and (9) Whether disclosure would reveal investigatory records compiled for law enforcement purposes, and would interfere with enforcement proceedings or disclose investigative techniques and procedures the effectiveness of which would thereby be impaired. The Privacy Act permits specific systems of records to be exempt from some of its requirements. (a)(1) The following systems of records are exempt from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and (4), (d), (e)(1)–(3), (4)(G)–(I), (5) and (8), (f) and (g): (i) Background Investigation (CSOSA–2). (ii) Supervision Offender Case File (CSOSA–9). (iii) Pre-Sentence Investigations (CSOSA–10). (iv) Supervision & Management Automated Record Tracking (SMART) (CSOSA–11). (v) Recidivism Tracking Database (CSOSA–12). (vi) [Reserved]. (vii) Substance Abuse Treatment Database (CSOSA–15). (viii) Screener (CSOSA–16). (ix) Sex Offender Registry (CSOSA–18). (2) Exemptions from the particular subsections are justified for the following reasons: (i) From subsection (c)(3) because offenders will not be permitted to gain access or to contest contents of these record systems under the provisions of subsection (d) of 5 U.S.C. 552a. Revealing disclosure accountings can compromise legitimate law enforcement activities and CSOSA responsibilities. (ii) From subsection (c)(4) because exemption from provisions of subsection (d) will make notification of formal disputes inapplicable. (iii) From subsection (d), (e)(4)(G) through (e)(4)(I), (f) and (g) because exemption from this subsection is essential to protect internal processes by which CSOSA personnel are able to formulate decisions and policies with regard to offenders, to prevent disclosure of information to offenders that would jeopardize legitimate correctional interests of rehabilitation, and to permit receipt of relevant information from other federal agencies, state and local law enforcement agencies, and federal and state probation and judicial offices. (iv) From subsection (e)(1) because primary collection of information directly from offenders about criminal history or criminal records is highly impractical and inappropriate. (A) It is not possible in all instances to determine relevancy or necessity of specific information in the early stages of a criminal or other investigation. (B) Relevance and necessity are questions of judgment and timing; what appears relevant and necessary when collected ultimately may be deemed unnecessary. It is only after the information is assessed that its relevancy and necessity in a specific investigative activity can be established. (C) In interviewing individuals or obtaining other forms of evidence or information during an investigation, information could be obtained, the nature of which would leave in doubt its relevancy and necessity. Such information, however, could be relevant to another investigation or to an investigative activity under the jurisdiction of another agency. (v) From subsection (e)(2) because the nature of criminal and other investigative activities is such that vital information about an individual can only be obtained from other persons who are familiar with such individual and his/her activities. In such investigations it is not feasible to rely upon information furnished by the individual concerning his/her own activities. (vi) From subsection (e)(3) because disclosure would provide the subject with substantial information which could impede or compromise the investigation. The individual could seriously interfere with investigative activities and could take appropriate steps to evade the investigation or flee a specific area. (vii) From subsection (e)(8) because the notice requirements of this provision could seriously interfere with a law enforcement activity by alerting the subject of a criminal or other investigation of existing investigative interest. (viii) Those sections would otherwise require CSOSA to notify an individual of investigatory materials contained in a record pertaining to him/her, permit access to such record, permit requests for its correction (section 552a(d), (e)(4)(G), and (H)); make available to him/her any required accounting of disclosures made of the record (section 552a(c)(3)), publish the sources of records in the system (section 552a(4)(I)); and screen records to insure that there is maintained only such information about an individual as is relevant to accomplish a required purpose of the Agency (section 552(e)(1)). In addition, screening for relevancy to Agency purposes, a correction or attempted correction of such materials could require excessive amounts of time and effort on the part of all concerned. (b)(1) The following system of records is exempt from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and (4), (d), (e)(1)–(e)(3), (4)(H), (5), (8) and (g): (i) Office of Professional Responsibility Record (OPR) (CSOSA–17). (ii) [Reserved] (2) Exemptions from the particular subsections are justified for the following reasons: (i) From subsection (c)(3) because release of disclosure accounting could alert the subject of an investigation of an actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory violation to the existence of the investigation and the fact that they are subjects of the investigation, and reveal investigative interest by not only the OPR but also by the recipient agency. Since release of such information to the subjects of an investigation would provide them with significant information concerning the nature of the investigation, release could result in activities that would impede or compromise law enforcement such as: the destruction of documentary evidence; improper influencing of witnesses; endangerment of the physical safety of confidential sources, witnesses, and law enforcement personnel; fabrication of testimony; and flight of the subject from the area. In addition, release of disclosure accounting could result in the release of properly classified information which could compromise the national defense or disrupt foreign policy. (ii) From subsection (c)(4) because this system is exempt from the access provisions of subsection (d) pursuant to subsections (j) and (k) of the Privacy Act. (iii) From the access and amendment provisions of subsection (d) because access to the records contained in this system of records could provide the subject of an investigation with information concerning law enforcement activities such as that relating to an actual or potential criminal, civil or regulatory violation; the existence of an investigation; the nature and scope of the information and evidence obtained as to his activities; the identity of confidential sources, witnesses, and law enforcement personnel; and information that may enable the subject to avoid detection or apprehension. Such disclosure would present a serious impediment to effective law enforcement where they prevent the successful completion of the investigation; endanger the physical safety of confidential sources, witnesses, and law enforcement personnel; and/or lead to the improper influencing of witnesses, the destruction of evidence, or the fabrication of testimony. In addition, granting access to such information could disclose security-sensitive or confidential business information or information that would constitute an unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of third parties. Amendment of the records would interfere with ongoing investigations and law enforcement activities and impose an impossible administrative burden by requiring investigations to be continuously reinvestigated. (iv) From subsection (e)(1) because the application of this provision could impair investigations and interfere with the law enforcement responsibilities of the OPR for the following reasons: (A) It is not possible to detect relevance or necessity of specific information in the early stages of a civil, criminal or other law enforcement investigation, case, or matter, including investigations in which use is made of properly classified information. Relevance and necessity are questions of judgment and timing, and it is only after the information is evaluated that the relevance and necessity of such information can be established. (B) During the course of any investigation, the OPR may obtain information concerning actual or potential violations of laws other than those within the scope of its jurisdiction. In the interest of effective law enforcement, the OPR should retain this information as it may aid in establishing patterns of criminal activity, and can provide valuable leads for Federal and other law enforcement agencies. (C) In interviewing individuals or obtaining other forms of evidence during an investigation, information may be supplied to an investigator which relates to matters incidental to the primary purpose of the investigation but which may relate also to matters under the investigative jurisdiction of another agency. Such information cannot readily be segregated. (v) From subsection (e)(2) because, in some instances, the application of this provision would present a serious impediment to law enforcement for the following reasons: (A) The subject of an investigation would be placed on notice as to the existence of an investigation and would therefore be able to avoid detection or apprehension, to improperly influence witnesses, to destroy evidence, or to fabricate testimony. (B) In certain circumstances the subject of an investigation cannot be required to provide information to investigators, and information relating to a subject's illegal acts, violations of rules of conduct, or any other misconduct must be obtained from other sources. (C) In any investigation it is necessary to obtain evidence from a variety of sources other than the subject of the investigation in order to verify the evidence necessary for successful litigation. (vi) From subsection (e)(3) because the application of this provision would provide the subject of an investigation with substantial information which could impede or compromise the investigation. Providing such notice to a subject of an investigation could interfere with an undercover investigation by revealing its existence, and could endanger the physical safety of confidential sources, witnesses, and investigators by revealing their identities. (vii) From subsection (e)(5) because the application of this provision would prevent the collection of any data not shown to be accurate, relevant, timely, and complete at the moment it is collected. In the collection of information for law enforcement purposes, it is impossible to determine in advance what information is accurate, relevant, timely, and complete. Material which may seem unrelated, irrelevant, or incomplete when collected may take on added meaning or significance as an investigation progresses. The restrictions of this provision could interfere with the preparation of a complete investigation report, and thereby impede effective law enforcement. (viii) From subsection (e)(8) because the application of this provision could prematurely reveal an ongoing criminal investigation to the subject of the investigation, and could reveal investigation techniques, procedures, and/or evidence. (ix) From subsection (g) to the extent that this system is exempt from the access and amendment provisions of subsection (d) pursuant to subsections (j)(2), (k)(1), and (k)(2) of the Privacy Act. The Privacy Act permits specific systems of records to be exempt from some of its requirements. (a)(1) The following systems of records are exempt from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and (4), (d), (e)(1)–(3), (4)(G)–(I), (5) and (8), (f) and (g): (i) Automated Bail Agency Database (ABADABA) (CSOSA/PSA–1). (ii) Drug Test Management System (DTMS) (CSOSA/PSA–2). (iii) Interview and Treatment Files (CSOSA/PSA–3). (iv) Pretrial Realtime Information Systems Manager (PRISM) (CSOSA/PSA–6). (2) Exemptions from the particular subsections are justified for the following reasons: (i) From subsection (c)(3) because defendants/offenders will not be permitted to gain access or to contest contents of these record systems under the provisions of subsection (d) of 5 U.S.C. 552a. Revealing disclosure accountings can compromise legitimate law enforcement activities and CSOSA/PSA responsibilities. (ii) From subsection (c)(4) because exemption from provisions of subsection (d) will make notification of formal disputes inapplicable. (iii) From subsection (d), (e)(4)(G) through (e)(4)(I), (f) and (g) because exemption from this subsection is essential to protect internal processes by which CSOSA/PSA personnel are able to formulate decisions and policies with regard to defendants/offenders, to prevent disclosure of information to defendants/offenders that would jeopardize legitimate correctional interests of rehabilitation, and to permit receipt of relevant information from other federal agencies, state and local law enforcement agencies, and federal and state probation and judicial offices. (iv) From subsection (e)(1) because primary collection of information directly from defendants/offenders about criminal history or criminal records is highly impractical and inappropriate. (A) It is not possible in all instances to determine relevancy or necessity of specific information in the early stages of a criminal or other investigation. (B) Relevancy and necessity are questions of judgment and timing; what appears relevant and necessary when collected ultimately may be deemed unnecessary. It is only after the information is assessed that its relevancy and necessity in a specific investigative activity can be established. (C) In interviewing individuals or obtaining other forms of evidence or information during an investigation, information could be obtained, the nature of which would leave in doubt its relevancy and necessity. Such information, however, could be relevant to another investigation or to an investigative activity under the jurisdiction of another agency. (v) From subsection (e)(2) because the nature of criminal and other investigative activities is such that vital information about an individual can only be obtained from other persons who are familiar with such individual and his/her activities. In such investigations it is not feasible to rely upon information furnished by the individual concerning his/her own activities. (vi) From subsection (e)(3) because disclosure would provide the subject with substantial information which could impede or compromise the investigation. The individual could seriously interfere with investigative activities and could take appropriate steps to evade the investigation or flee a specific area. (vii) From subsection (e)(8) because the notice requirements of this provision could seriously interfere with a law enforcement activity by alerting the subject of a criminal or other investigation of existing investigative interest. (viii) Those sections would otherwise require CSOSA to notify an individual of investigatory materials contained in a record pertaining to him/her, permit access to such record, permit requests for its correction (section 552a(d), (e)(4)(G), and (H)); make available to him/her any required accounting of disclosures made of the record (section 552a(c)(3)), publish the sources of records in the system (section 552a(4)(I)); and screen records to insure that there is maintained only such information about an individual as is relevant to accomplish a required purpose of the Agency (section 552(e)(1)). In addition, screening for relevancy to Agency purposes, a correction or attempted correction of such materials could require excessive amounts of time and effort on the part of all concerned. (b) [Reserved]
Title 28: Judicial Administration
PART 802—DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS
Section Contents
§ 802.1 Introduction.
§ 802.2 Purpose and scope.
§ 802.3 Guidelines for disclosure.
§ 802.4 Definitions.
§ 802.5 Freedom of Information Act requests.
§ 802.6 Documents from other agencies.
§ 802.7 Denial of request.
§ 802.8 Expedited processing.
§ 802.9 Business information.
§ 802.10 Fee schedule.
§ 802.11 Purpose and scope.
§ 802.12 Definitions.
§ 802.13 Verifying your identity.
§ 802.14 Requests for access to records.
§ 802.15 Denial of request.
§ 802.16 Administrative appeal.
§ 802.17 Documents from other agencies.
§ 802.18 Correction or amendment of records.
§ 802.19 Appeal of denial to correct or amend.
§ 802.20 Accounting of disclosures.
§ 802.21 Appeals.
§ 802.22 Fees.
§ 802.23 Use and disclosure of social security numbers.
§ 802.24 Purpose and scope.
§ 802.25 Definitions.
§ 802.26 Receipt of demand.
§ 802.27 Compliance/noncompliance.
§ 802.28 Exemption of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency System—limited access.
§ 802.29 Exemption of the Pretrial Services Agency System.
Subpart A—General
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§ 802.1 Introduction.
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Subpart B—Freedom of Information Act
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§ 802.2 Purpose and scope.
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§ 802.3 Guidelines for disclosure.
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§ 802.4 Definitions.
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§ 802.5 Freedom of Information Act requests.
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§ 802.6 Documents from other agencies.
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§ 802.7 Denial of request.
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§ 802.8 Expedited processing.
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§ 802.9 Business information.
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§ 802.10 Fee schedule.
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Subpart C—Privacy Act
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§ 802.11 Purpose and scope.
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§ 802.12 Definitions.
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§ 802.13 Verifying your identity.
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§ 802.14 Requests for access to records.
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§ 802.15 Denial of request.
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§ 802.16 Administrative appeal.
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§ 802.17 Documents from other agencies.
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§ 802.18 Correction or amendment of records.
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§ 802.19 Appeal of denial to correct or amend.
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§ 802.20 Accounting of disclosures.
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§ 802.21 Appeals.
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§ 802.22 Fees.
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§ 802.23 Use and disclosure of social security numbers.
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Subpart D—Subpoenas or Other Legal Demands for Testimony or the Production or Disclosure of Records or Other Information
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§ 802.24 Purpose and scope.
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§ 802.25 Definitions.
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§ 802.26 Receipt of demand.
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§ 802.27 Compliance/noncompliance.
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Subpart E—Exemption of Records Systems Under the Privacy Act
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§ 802.28 Exemption of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency System—limited access.
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§ 802.29 Exemption of the Pretrial Services Agency System.
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