The Internet reflects the distinction between the cabinet departments, on the one hand, and the independent agencies, on the other hand, because it has different websites for each of these two types of executive-branch entity. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice contains the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Each of these subparts is an agency. One of the best ways to understand how pieces of the government fit together is to explore the Internet websites of these various departments and agencies. The Internet also helps you understand the workings of an individual agency.
Many agencies also make copies of agency forms available on the Internet.
Many of these forms you may need as a lawyer. For example, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control makes available through the Internet a form to use for requests under the Freedom of Information Act. It is usually easier and cheaper to copy these forms from the Internet than to send a messenger to get them or ask for them to be sent by mail. In many instances, you will be able to fill in and submit electronic versions of these forms, saving you and your client additional time and money. In addition to these general objectives, each assignment has a specific objective, which is stated at the outset of the assignment.