The OLC's Opinions
Opinions published by the OLC, including those released in response to our FOIA lawsuit
This Reading Room is a comprehensive database of published opinions written by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). It contains the approximately 1,400 opinions published by the OLC in its online database and the opinions produced in Freedom of Information Act litigation brought by the Knight Institute, including opinions about the Pentagon Papers, the Civil Rights Era, and the War Powers Act. It also contains indexes of unclassified OLC opinions written between 1945 and February 15, 1994 (these indexes were created by the OLC and intended to be comprehensive). We have compiled those indexes into a single list here and in .csv format here. This Reading Room also contains an index of all classified OLC opinions issued between 1974 and 2021, except those classified or codeword-classified at a level higher than Top Secret (the OLC created this index, too, and intended it to be comprehensive).
The Knight Institute will continue updating the reading room with new records. To get alerts when the OLC publishes a new opinion in its database, follow @OLCforthepeople on Twitter.
Showing 1571–1580 of 2202
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Status of the Chairmanship of the Federal Reserve Board If the President's Nominee Has Not Been Confirmed as Chairman Before the Incumbent's Term Expires
Federal Reserve Board—Vacancy With the Office of the Chairman—Status of the Vice Chairman (12 U.S.C. §§ 242, 244) The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21456/download.
1/31/1978
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Whether Antilobbying Statute Prohibits Federal Judges From Using Official Resources to Communicate With Members of Congress Concerning Proposed Legislation
Applicability of Antilobbying Statute (18 U.S.C. § 1913)—Federal Judges The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21451/download.
1/30/1978
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Exemption From Competitive Service of Supergrade Positions in the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration—Supergrade Positions—Exemption From Competitive Service The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21441/download.
1/27/1978
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Exemption From Competitive Service of Supergrade Positions in the Drug Enforcement Administration Created by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1968
Drug Enforcement Administration—Supergrade Positions Created by Reorganization Plan—Exemption From Competitive Service The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21446/download.
1/27/1978
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Constitutionality of Civil Damages Provisions of Fair Housing Bill
Fair Housing—Civil Rights Act—Civil Penalties—Application of Seventh Amendment—Jury Trial The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21436/download.
1/25/1978
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Legality of Warrantless Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Using Concealed Television Cameras and Beepers
Warrantless Foreign Intelligence Surveillance—Use of Television—Beepers The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21431/download.
1/25/1978
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Prosecution of Ocean Freight Rebating Cases Under Conspiracy Statute
Rebates in Violation of Shipping Act—Applicability of Conspiracy Statute (18 U.S.C. § 371) The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21426/download.
1/19/1978
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Acceptance of Position With Montgomery Ward Company by Consumer Product Safety Commission Employee
Consumer Product Safety Commission—Former Officers and Employees—Accepting Private Employment The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21421/download.
1/11/1978
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Destruction of MKULTRA Project Records by CIA Officials
In this memo, the OLC addressed whether a CIA official could be found criminally liable for the destruction of the MKULTRA project records in 1973. The OLC concluded that criminal liability under 18 U.S.C § 1361 or 18 U.S.C. § 2017 required proof that the official intentionally destroyed government records with the knowledge that the destruction was a violation of law.
9/2/2022
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Residency Requirements for Member of the Federal Reserve Board
Federal Reserve Board—Residency of Board Member (12 U.S.C. § 241) The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/21386/download.
12/28/1977