Possession assumes control and presumes that records exist. The FOIA is a documents and records law, it does not require the Government to create or retain materials or to summarize existing records. Requests must reasonably identify the records sought. A request which fails to so describe the records is defective and may not trigger a FOIA right. In practice, sweeping FOIA requests are often narrowed down in the course of telephone discussions between the requester and the agency's FOIA staff.
Person means and individual, corporation, partnership, or public or private organization.
Any person may make a request without a showing of relevance or purpose. In theory, the requester's purpose or motives are generally irrelevant. For some purposes, however, the FOIA requester's particular interest may be material. This is true in cases where the requester seeks to persuade the agency to expedite a request by taking it ahead of others. The purpose is also relevant when the requester asks the agency to waive or reduce its published fees for searching and duplication.