“In the last few years, the number of FOIA lawsuits has risen dramatically, much faster than the rise in FOIA requests. Anecdotal reports suggest that delays in receiving responses to FOIA requests may be increasing and a reason for rising litigation. TRAC’s FOIA Project, with the help of a talented summer legal intern, explored the possible impact that delays in receiving responses could be having. The study found that the number of suits challenging agencies substantive responses had not materially changed in the last four years. Their numbers remained relatively small. Instead, most litigation occurred when agencies failed to respond to FOIA requesters. Suits filed when agencies failed to respond to FOIA requesters have skyrocketed. In more than four out of every five suits the agency had failed to respond. The statute provides that agencies need to respond within 20 business days. However, in 2019 requesters waited an average of nearly six months (177 days) before filing suit when they failed to receive any response to their request. In addition to not jumping into court quickly when an agency didn’t respond, requesters actually waited an average of over 30 days longer before filing suit in 2019 than they had in 2015. Where agencies did provide a substantive response, average days between a request and the filing of a suit was even longer – over 11 months (339 days). This period also increased between 2015 and 2019…”