Now that you’ve finally begun to wrap your head around the complicated FOIA process, we want to introduce you to another mechanism for obtaining the release of classified information, the Mandatory Declassification Review request (MDR). MDR law has been on the books since 1995 and is authorized by Executive Order 13526, issued by President Obama on 29 December 2009 (technically, that EO is not effective until June, but its predecessor, EO 12958, as amended, also authorized MDRs), which states that any citizen may request a Mandatory Declassification Review, and agencies then must “declassify information that no longer meets the standards for classification.”
In many instances, MDRs can be quicker, simpler, and easier to win than FOIA. However, filing an MDR is different than filing a FOIA request, with its own inherent quirks and requirements. Plus, while you cannot sue in court to seek release after an MDR is denied, the appeal process if often quite fruitful. Follow along with our handy chart on the right. (more…)
