FOIA FOR VIRGINIA CITIZENS
Virginia FOIA for citizens
Unlock the freedom of information with a FOIA attorney in Virginia
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) guarantees that citizens have access to information to provide transparency to the workings of the government. Virginia FOIA attorney Andrew Bodoh is the leading expert on Virginia FOIA.
A Virginia FOIA litigator and compliance consultant
Virginia FOIA attorney Andrew Bodoh literally wrote the book on Virginia FOIA! The Virginian’s Guide to FOIA is available on Amazon!
The Virginian’s Guide to FOIA
2025 Edition · By Andrew T. Bodoh, Esq.
What is FOIA in Virginia?
Our system of government protects liberty through accountability and citizen participation.
Government transparency laws are a critical part of that. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Virginia FOIA) ensures citizens of Virginia the opportunity to witness local, regional, and state governments in action through access to public meetings and access to public records. It requires public bodies to make many of their records available for copying and inspection within a week of a request for the records, and it requires boards and councils to hold most of their deliberations and all of their final votes at public meetings.
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act/FOIA is a state law that provides citizens with a right to access public records held by government agencies in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is designed to ensure the public has access to information in the possession of public officials and agencies. The law applies to all levels of government, including state, local, and regional agencies. It also applies to quasi-governmental entities such as public universities, public hospitals, and public utilities.
Virginia citizens’ rights under Virginia FOIA
Virginia citizens have rights under the Virginia FOIA:
- You have the right to attend and record meetings of deliberative public bodies, and to know why the public body is going into a closed session.
- You have the right to a prompt written response to any request for public records.
- If the public body withholds the records under the law, you have a right to know what law they are relying on.
If a public body denies you your rights under the Virginia FOIA, you can enforce your rights in the courts. But before you do this, talk to our experienced and creative Virginia FOIA attorneys.
You need a FOIA litigator to fight government under Virginia FOIA
Don’t fight the public bodies alone. Call us now for a 10-minute telephone consultation. We can tell you if the public body is complying with the law. We can explain the many options available to you if they are not. Best of all, if you sue the public body and win your case, the public body may be required to repay you all your attorney fees and costs. Call us now.
Read about some of our recent cases
- Fox NewsREDACTED: Police force uses unique argument to keep nearly all its officers’ names secret (win in the Virginia Court of Appeals)
- Virginia MercuryFOIA & employment information of officers
- Richmond Times-DispatchJudge rules town of Waverly violated FOIA
- Richmond Times-DispatchJudge sides with open government advocate in suit against Hopewell City Council
- The Hopewell NewsJudge’s ruling says discussion on mayor seat in closed session was improper
- Madison EagleCounty FOIA cases resolved
Don’t fight the public bodies alone
Tell us what happened with your records request or public meeting, or call for a 10-minute telephone consultation.
