Marilyn Chimes Comments on FOIA Implications of USDA Inspections

Marilyn J. Chimes, attorney in the Firm and also a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and board-certified in laboratory animal medicine, has published commentary in the September 2007 issue of Lab Animal about the public availability of documentation regarding alleged noncompliance with regulations under the federal Animal Welfare Act. Responding to a hypothetical scenario, Dr. Chimes reviewed and explained the USDA's authority to take photographs and remove inspection-related documentation from a research facility, and the subsequent application of the federal Freedom of Information Act to that documentation. Her previous experience as a veterinarian in research facilities contributed to her understanding of the legal issues.