LawHelp Legal Information search results for Individual Rights > Freedom of Information

	Individual Rights > Freedom of Information - Rights to Government Documents


	Self-help information through various links, documents, publications, etc. Check the Community Directory Channel for more resources.

There are 14 resources

	Expedited Services (Separate Website) This page explains how to get copies of vital records in an expedited manner by telephone or by mail. By: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	Fee Schedule for Vital Records Services (Separate Website) SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	Freedom of Information Act Requests from the U.S. Department of Justice (Separate Website) This web site contains information about how to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain information from the Department of Justice. By: U.S. Department of Justice


	Governor's Office of Ombudsman Home Page (Separate Website) The goal of the Office of the Ombudsman is to satisfactorily resolve or appropriately refer virtually any conceivable question, concern or request a citizen might have. By: Governor's Office - Ombudsman


	How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a Birth Certificate (Separate Website) By: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a Death Certificate (Separate Website) By: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a Marriage License (Separate Website) By: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a Report of Divorce or Annulment of Marriage (Separate Website) By: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	How to Use the Federal Freedom of Information Act (Separate Website) This booklet is designed as a general "do-it-yourself" guide to using the federal Freedom of Information Act. This is the ninth edition of the guide, which was originally published in 1976 and has been updated and expanded to include recent court opinions that affect the FOI Act. This booklet was researched and edited by The FOI Service Center, a project of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. It describes how to use the Act as an effective investigative tool, and provides sample letters, forms and directories to assist you in dealing with the government promptly and effectively. By: The Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press


	Keep America Safe and Free (Separate Website) The ACLU Campaign to Defend the Constitution The urgency in our campaign to keep America both safe and free has never been greater as more than 150 sections of the Patriot Act are set to expire or "sunset" unless Congress votes to reauthorize, and expand, the bill. Resources on this page will help to educate yourself and others about what's at stake with the sunsets and to take action to preserve the checks and balances that shield our fundamental freedoms from excessive government power. By: American Civil Liberties Union


	Online Search for Unclaimed Property (Separate Website) By: State Treasurer


	On-Site Customers (Separate Website) If you prefer to appear personally at DHEC's offices to request copies of vital recoreds, review this page for directions and instructions. By: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	Requests by Mail (Separate Website) Where do you send requests for copies of vital records, and what information will DHEC need to fulfill your request? Find out here. By: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control


	Using the Freedom of Information Act: A Step-by-Step Guide (Separate Website) The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was passed by Congress in 1966 and amended in 1974. FOIA creates procedures so that any member of the public may obtain the records of the agencies of the federal government. The purpose of this Guide is to help you exercise your right to "open agency action to the light of public scrutiny." This document contains detailed information, instructions and sample letters designed to help you make an effective FOIA request. By: American Civil Liberties Union


back to top

Information Not Legal Advice. This web site has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information on this web site is not legal advice. Legal advice is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation. Also, the law may vary from State to State, so that some information in this web site may not be correct for your jurisdiction. Finally, the information contained in this web site is not guaranteed to be up to date. Therefore, the information contained in this web site cannot replace the advice of competent legal counsel licensed in your state.

Lawyer Advertising. In some jurisdictions this web site may be considered lawyer advertising. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

Any listing of an attorney does not constitute a recommendation of the attorney. Before hiring any attorney, you should investigate the attorney's reputation and qualifications.

Links. This web site contains links to other resources on the Internet. Those links are provided as citations and aids to help you identify and locate other Internet resources that may be of interest, and are not intended to state or imply that we sponsor or are affiliated or associated with the persons or entities who created such site, nor are the links intended to state or imply that we are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links.

E-mail. Viewing this Web site , or transmitting an e-mail message through this Web site, does not create an attorney-client relationship. Sending e-mail to an attorney mentioned in this site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship between you and the attorney. Unless you are already a client of the attorney, your e-mail may NOT be protected by the attorney-client privilege. Moreover, unless it is encrypted, e-mail can be intercepted by persons other than the recipient. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Many people do not check their e-mail daily, and some attorneys do not respond to unsolicited e-mail from non-clients.

LawHelp South Carolina is a project of South Carolina Legal Services and the Legal Services Corporation. In an effort to improve this site, we would appreciate your taking our short survey to provide feedback to us.