Source: http://copyright.lib.harvard.edu/states/washington_d_c/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 09:23:06+00:00

Document:
The Washington, D.C. code is in a public-access portal run by Lexis-Nexis, which does not allow direct linking. To access specific parts of the code, go to the front page and search or navigate.
The D.C. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was first enacted in 1968 and may be found at D.C. Code § 2-531.
D.C. courts have held that agencies cannot impose greater restrictions on records than are explicitly included in the D.C. Freedom of Information Act. Dunhill v. Dir., D.C. Dep't of Transp., 416 A.2d 244, 248 (D.C. 1980). Since the Freedom of Information Act does not restrict records disclosure based on copyright, this may mean that D.C. agencies may not use copyright law to restrict access to public records. However, the issue has not yet appeared before a D.C. court. See Ashley Messenger, Dennis Pitman, Can States Use Copyright to Restrict the Use of Public Records?, Comm. Law., February 2013, at 4, 7.
The D.C. FOIA does not restrict the use of disclosed records, including for commercial use. Dunhill v. Dir., D.C. Dep't of Transp., 416 A.2d 244 (D.C. 1980). The purpose of a request may be considered in order to evaluate the applicability of possible exceptions to the law, however. Emily Yinger, Esq. v. Metro. Police Dep't, FOIA App. No. 93-25 (Office of the Mayor, Oct. 5, 1994) (weighing "private" purpose of requestor for § 2-534(a)(2) privacy exemption); accord Velrey Props. Inc. v. Dep't of Human Servs., FOIA App. No. 94-45 (Office of the Mayor, May 17, 1995); Gustavo Viteri v. District Dep't of Transportation, FOIA App. No. 2011-32 (Office of the Mayor, June 22, 2011). Additionally, the purpose and intended use of a record may affect the fees charged for a records request. D.C. Code § 2-532(b) (records used to benefit the public interest are eligible for fee waivers); D.C. Code § 2-532(b-1)(2) (fees limited to "reasonable standard charges" when "not sought for commercial use and the request is made by an educational or non-commercial scientific institution for scholarly or scientific research, or a representative of the news media").
Under D.C. law, "[t]he Corporation Counsel is authorized to initiate a civil action in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia or any court of competent jurisdiction to protect the interests of the District of Columbia in any public record." D.C. Code § 2-1713.
District of Columbia, Freedom of Information Act, available at http://dc.gov/page/freedom-information-act-foia.
Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, Office of Open Government, available at http://www.bega-dc.gov/office-open-government.
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Open Government Guide: Access to Public Records and Meetings in the District of Columbia, available at http://www.rcfp.org/rcfp/orders/docs/ogg/DC.pdf.
District of Columbia Archives, available at http://os.dc.gov/service/district-columbia-archives.
Dunhill v. Dir., D.C. Dep't of Transp., 416 A.2d 244, 248 (D.C. 1980), available at https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=8545571485149496002.
Gustavo Viteri v. District Dep't of Transportation, FOIA App. No. 2011-32 (Office of the Mayor, June 22, 2011), available at http://services.dc.gov/DC/Government/Publication%20Files/2011FOIA/201132.pdf.
Ashley Messenger, Dennis Pitman, Can States Use Copyright to Restrict the Use of Public Records?, Comm. Law., February 2013, available at http://www.americanbar.org/publications/communications_lawyer/2013/february/can_states_use_copyright_restrict_use_public_records.html.
D.C. Code § 28-3904, available at http://oag.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/oag/publication/attachments/28-3904%20-%20unlawful%20trade%20practices.pdf.
African American Heritage Trail, available at http://planning.dc.gov/DC/Planning/Planning%20Publication%20Files/OP/HP/Community%20Heritage%20PDF%20Files/African%20American%20Heritage%20Trail%20Brochure.pdf.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Community Grant Annual Report, FY2011, available at http://apia.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/apia/publication/attachments/fy11_asian_american_and_pacific_islander_community_grant_annual_report.pdf.

References: § 2
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 § 2
 v. 
 v. 
 § 2
 § 2
 § 2
 v. 
 v. 
 § 28