Opinion ID: 2802763
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reasonableness of FOIA Request

Text: WVU initially moved to dismiss this action claiming the FOIA requests were unduly burdensome. The circuit court denied this motion and WVU engaged in document review and production. WVU produced 2,364 documents, totaling 11,090 pages and redacted 119 of those documents; WVU withheld 772 documents and claimed the FOIA exemptions discussed above. By the time the circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of WVU, the university claimed to have reviewed over 40,000 documents and identified over 200,000 potentially responsive documents. 35 In its March 19, 2014, order, the circuit court found “at this point,” WVU had demonstrated that the FOIA requests were unduly burdensome, and noted it was concerned about the time and expense that “would be required to complete the process[.]” WVU maintains the circuit court correctly found that the past two years of litigation and document production proved Highland’s FOIA requests were unduly burdensome. WVU argues that while the FOIA is designed to foster public transparency and accountability, the Act also reflects the Legislature’s “concern that information requests not become mechanisms to paralyze other necessary government functions.” Farley, 215 W.Va. at 422 n.14, 599 S.E.2d at 845 n.14. Highland counters that the circuit court inexplicably failed to address its voluntary offer to limit or potentially eliminate the need for further document processing. In response to a letter from WVU’s counsel pointing out the anticipated cost to process that information, Highland’s counsel agreed that WVU could defer processing of those documents pending further rulings. In addition, Highland noted that if the documents that have been withheld thus far were provided, Highland may decide that it does not wish to receive any of the remaining documents. In accordance with this discussion, in its CrossMotion for Summary Judgment, Highland only requested the release of previouslywithheld documents as listed in the Vaughn indices, and that WVU be required to confer with Highland as to any additional documents. 36 To be sure, the FOIA requires a public body to conduct a reasonable search for responsive records. Further, [i]n response to a proper Freedom of Information Act request, a public body has a duty to redact or segregate exempt from non-exempt information contained within the public record(s) responsive to the FOIA request and to disclose the nonexempt information unless such segregation or redaction would impose upon the public body an unreasonably high burden or expense. If the public body refuses to provide redacted or segregated copies because the process of redacting or segregating would impose an unreasonably high burden or expense, the public body must provide the requesting party a written response that is sufficiently detailed to justify refusal to honor the FOIA request on these grounds. Such written response, however, need not be so detailed that the justification would compromise the secret nature of the exempt information. Syl. Pt. 5, Farley, 215 W.Va. at 412, 599 S.E.2d at 835. However, the FOIA does not require a public body to conduct what amounts to an unreasonably burdensome search in response to a request. See Am. Fed’n of Gov’t Emps. v. U.S. Dep’t of Commerce, 907 F.2d 203, 208-09 (D.C. Cir. 1990) (finding unreasonably burdensome FOIA request to locate “every chronological office file and correspondent file, internal and external, for every branch office, staff office [etc.]”); Assassination Archives & Research Ctr. v. C.I.A., 720 F.Supp. 217, 219 (D.D.C. 1989) (recognizing public record laws are not designed to “reduce government agencies to full-time investigators on behalf of requesters.”), but see Pub. Citizen, Inc. v. Dep’t of Educ., 292 F.Supp.2d 1, 6 (D.D.C. 2003) (rejecting claim of undue burden when defendants “merely claim that [manually] searching . . . 25,000 paper files would be 37 ‘costly and take many hours to complete,’ . . . [w]ithout more specification as to why a search certain to turn up responsive documents would be unduly burdensome”). When examining the burden on a public body to comply with a FOIA request, we note our FOIA provides “[t]he public body may establish fees reasonably calculated to reimburse it for its actual cost in making reproductions of such records.” W.Va. Code § 29B-1-3(5). This Court recently held in syllabus point two of King v. Nease, 233 W.Va. 252, 757 S.E.2d 782 (2014): “Pursuant to West Virginia Code § 29B­ 1-3(5) (2012), a public body is vested with the authority and discretion to impose a search or retrieval fee in connection with a Freedom of Information Act request to provide public records provided that such fee is reasonable.”26 Based on Highland’s proposal to limit the need for WVU to continue further document processing, we find the circuit court erred in finding the FOIA requests were unreasonably burdensome and dismissing the action at this stage of the litigation. The “FOIA requester is the ‘master’ of the FOIA request” and “FOIA requests are frequently clarified or modified even after a lawsuit is filed.” People for Am. Way Found. v. U.S. Dep’t of Justice, 451 F.Supp.2d 6, 12 (D.C.D.C. 2006). 26 Our Legislature recently amended this portion of the FOIA. See House Bill 2636, 2015 Leg. 82nd Sess. (W.Va. 2015) (effective June 12, 2015) (authorizing public body to establish fees reasonably calculated to reimburse actual costs in making reproductions of records; public body may not charge search or retrieval fee as part of costs associated with making reproduction of records). 38 Accordingly, we reverse the circuit court’s order insofar as it dismissed this action and remand the case for further proceedings. We find Highland should have the opportunity to taper its FOIA requests correspondent to our holdings in this case. Thereafter, the circuit court should revisit its decision of whether Highland’s FOIA requests are unduly burdensome. Applying this Court’s ruling, the circuit court will find that WVU’s document production obligations are dramatically reduced. If the circuit court does not dismiss this action, it should consider appointing a special commissioner pursuant to Rule 53 of the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure to review any documents withheld by WVU, in camera, to determine whether they are exempt from disclosure under the FOIA. Further, the parties are expected to confer regarding the fees Highland may incur with respect to any further document processing and production by WVU.