We respect the privacy of our visitors and all those who come in contact with our office — be it in person, through our website, or by mail, phone, or email. We therefore try to collect only such personal information as is needed to provide the information, service, or assistance that you request.
Information We Collect Automatically
If you visit our website to browse, read, or download information:
- Your web browser automatically sends us (and we may retain) information such as the:
- Internet domain through which you access the internet (such as your internet service provider or, if applicable, your school or employer’s domain);
- Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computer you are using;
- type of browser software and operating system you are using;
- date and time you access our website; and
- the internet address of the website from which you linked directly to our website.
- We use this information as aggregate data to help us maintain this website — for example, to determine the number of visitors to different sections of the site, to help ensure the website is working properly, and to help make the website more accessible and useful.
- We will not use this information to identify individuals, except for website security or law enforcement purposes.
- The office that maintains the web server on which our website resides also has access to this information and is governed by its own privacy policy.
Other Information We Collect
If you choose to identify yourself (or otherwise provide us with personal information) when you call us, write to us, send us email, or use our online forms — including our contact form, newsletter sign-up, casework request, or other service request forms:
- We will collect (and may retain) any personally identifying information you provide, such as your name, street address, email address, phone number, and any other information you share with us. We use this information to try to fulfill your request and may use it to provide you with additional information at a later time, such as newsletter updates if you have subscribed.
- We will not disclose such information to third parties, except as specified in this privacy policy.
- If you request information, services, or assistance — including help with a federal agency — we may disclose your personal information to those third parties that, in our judgment, are appropriate in order to fulfill your request (for example, sharing casework details with a federal agency on your behalf). If you specify that you do not want us to disclose your information to third parties, we will honor your request. Note, however, that if you do not provide such information, it may be impossible for us to refer, respond to, or fulfill your request.
- If your communication relates to a law enforcement matter, we may disclose the information to law enforcement agencies that we deem appropriate.
- Certain forms, such as those used to request help with a federal agency (casework), may ask for your Social Security number or other sensitive identifying information. This information is required by the relevant federal agency to verify your identity and act on your case, and is used solely for that purpose. We do not sell, rent, or use this information for any purpose other than fulfilling your request.
How Long We Keep Information
We may keep information that we collect for an unlimited period of time.
Security
Please note that electronic communication, particularly email, is not necessarily secure against interception. Please do not send sensitive data (e.g., Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers) by email or through general web forms. Some of our forms are specifically designed to collect this information because it is required by the relevant agency, and should be the only place you provide it online.
Cookies
We may use cookies to customize this website for return visitors. These cookies are not required for website functionality, and you are not required to accept them to use this website. You can generally control or delete cookies through your web browser’s settings.
Third-party content or widgets embedded on this site — such as social media feeds or video players — may also set their own cookies, subject to those third parties’ own privacy policies.
Links to Other Websites
Our website may contain links to other websites, including social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and YouTube. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third-party sites, which are governed by their own privacy policies.
Contacting Us
If you have questions concerning this privacy policy or our use of information collected through this website, please contact our offices.
