Court Rejects 300 Pages a Month, and Baltimore Turns Its Records Law on Its Own Watchdog

This week, we cover key developments impacting records officers, FOIA and FOIL staff, and disclosure teams. First, a federal court ruling in Korf vs. the State Department deemed a 300-page monthly processing rate unreasonable, ordering a 5,000-page pace instead. Agencies should reassess their processing rates against backlogs. In Massachusetts, legislative changes are underway with H.5469, which revises public records access and subjects the governor's office to public records law, pending Senate approval. In Baltimore, a public records dispute sees the city denying its inspector general access to financial records, citing Public Information Act restrictions. The core issue remains unresolved in court. The federal FOIA ombudsman’s report highlights that the Department of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and the Justice Department generate the most FOIA disputes. Consider OGIS mediation before litigation. Lastly, an investigation into teacher misconduct records in California reveals that districts, not the state, hold disclosable copies, with some districts stalling or blocking release. Review your disclosure processes carefully. That's this week's brief. Review your practices against these updates. Document well. Disclose well. Until next week. 📚 Sources: foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/6/3/court-opinion-issued-june-1-2026 wgbh.org/news/politics/2026-06-03/mass-house-votes-to-set-new-rules-for-dizoglios-audit foxbaltimore.com/news/local/judge-denies-scott-admins-request-to-seal-inspector-general-lawsuit-filing foiaadvisor.com/foia-blog/2026/6/5/foia-news-ogis-releases-annual-report-for-fy-2025 propublica.org/article/california-teacher-misconduct-public-records