Guides for Independent Journalists

Learn the nine FOIA exemptions in plain words, what agencies must show to use them, and how to respond when your records request is denied or redacted.

How to ask for expedited FOIA processing as a journalist: the compelling need test, what agencies want to see, the 10-day decision, and appeals.

How freelance journalists can claim news media status and ask for a fee waiver on a federal FOIA request, with the proof agencies look for and the limits.

What a federal FOIA request costs a freelance journalist, how fee categories work, how long agencies have to respond, and how to track every request.

Write a clear federal FOIA request: what to include, how to describe records, which fee category to ask for, and what to do after you file.

FOIA covers federal agencies only. State laws govern state and local requests. Open meetings laws cover attending meetings. Here is how the three differ.

Learn how to appeal a FOIA denial: find the deadline, write the letter, send it to the right office, and know what OGIS mediation can and cannot do.

Learn how to file a federal FOIA request. Find the right agency, write a clear letter, track fees and deadlines, and handle denials.

Learn how to request police reports, 911 recordings, transcripts, and dispatch logs. See how state laws differ and how to file and follow up.

A state public records request uses your state's law, not FOIA. See who can file, how deadlines differ, and what to do when an agency delays or withholds.

Can you film in court? Federal courts mostly bar cameras, while state rules vary. Learn what the rules say and how to ask permission before you record.

Use CourtListener and the RECAP Archive to find federal court documents without PACER fees. What is actually free to access, and where the gaps are.

Learn how to cover a high-profile trial: who to call, how press credentials and pool seats work, and what rules apply to phones, cameras, and closures.

A plain guide to following a federal lawsuit on PACER: register, find the case, read the docket, keep fees low, and set up free alerts.

Learn how journalists ask courts for sealed records, from a letter to the judge to a motion to intervene and unseal, and where rules differ by court.

Learn how to look up a state court case online: find the right court, search by case number or name, read the docket, and know what stays offline.

A plain guide to reading a federal court docket: where to find it, what PACER costs, what the entries mean, and what to check before you publish.

Learn what an indictment, a criminal complaint, and a motion are in federal court, how they differ, and how to read them before you report.

Plain rules for filming at TSA checkpoints, airport terminals, federal buildings, and transit systems, and where public areas end and controlled areas begin.

Can you film inside a government building or school? See how courts treat lobbies, police stations, federal buildings, and school campuses.

A plain guide for independent journalists on filming in stores and on private property: trespass, permission, being asked to leave, and limits.

A plain guide to FAA Part 107 rules for reporters who fly drones: certificate, altitude, sight, people, airspace, TFRs, Remote ID and Texas state law.

Federal appeals courts have recognized a First Amendment right to film police in public. See what the cases say, where the limits are, and what to do.

What independent journalists should know before filming children, victims and sensitive scenes: privacy law basics, consent, hospitals and ethics codes.

What journalists can and cannot do when filming a protest near a police line or dispersal order, with steps to follow and where to get legal help.

Federal law needs one party's consent to record a call. Some states need everyone's. Learn the rules, the risks, and how to record sources safely.

Who owns a news photo, when you need a model release, and how newsworthiness fits in. A plain guide to copyright and privacy for photojournalists.

What the Privacy Protection Act says when police seize a journalist's camera or phone, plus what to do in the moment and after, in plain English.

What the law and ethics codes say about ambush interviews and doorstepping: trespass, recording rules, harassment, and steps to take before you knock.

You can usually photograph public figures in public places. Following them is another matter. Learn where courts and state laws draw the line.

Learn how libel works, what actual malice means, why an opinion label is no shield, and which checks to run before you publish as an independent journalist.

How intrusion upon seclusion works for journalists: what courts require, where reporters get into trouble, and when to call a media lawyer.

Stalking and harassment laws can reach reporters. Learn what they require, what Cohen and Counterman say, and how to document a legitimate purpose.

Learn how shield laws and reporter's privilege protect confidential sources, where they fall short for freelancers, and the digital security basics to use.

What the SPJ Code of Ethics says, how its October 2026 revision applies to independent journalists, and why it is voluntary and not legally enforceable.

How trespass law applies to independent journalists: consent, posted signs, open businesses, deception, police and when to call a lawyer.

A federal appeals court said First Amendment protection does not turn on job title. See how that differs from shield laws and who counts as a journalist.

Find free legal help for journalists. See who runs hotlines, who they serve, what they cannot cover, and how freelancers can contact each one.

Learn how to cover a city council meeting as an independent journalist: find the agenda, know your recording rights, and handle closed sessions.

Freelancers often do not need a press pass, but some events and agencies require one. Learn who issues credentials, what they ask for, and how to apply.

How to get congressional press credentials: which House or Senate gallery fits your outlet, who qualifies, and how the application works.

Learn how to get media accreditation for events and sports: what organizers check, why freelancers need assignment letters, and where the limits are.

What to do if police arrest or harass you while reporting: steps to take, how to handle your gear, and who to call, including the RCFP legal hotline.

Learn how White House hard passes and day passes differ, what the hard pass criteria say, and what the courts have said about denied or revoked passes.

Learn how to search FEC donor and spending records, read 24- and 48-hour reports, spot missing new data, and know the rules on publishing donor names.

A plain guide to Data.gov, Census Bureau data and BLS APIs: what each source offers, where it falls short, and how to check a number before you publish.

Learn how to use the Federal Register and Regulations.gov to track agency rules, read dockets and comments, set alerts, and check what is official.

A plain guide for independent journalists: search SEC EDGAR, state filings, liens and county property records, and know what each record can and cannot show.

Learn how to track a bill on Congress.gov: find the bill number, read the bill page, set email alerts, and follow committee hearings as a reporter.

A plain guide for independent journalists: ask how you know, check provenance, test official PDFs and leaked documents, and say what you could not confirm.