Case: In re Application of the FBI for an Order Requiring the Production of Tangible Things From [Redacted], BR 08-01

08-00001 | Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

Filed Date: 2008

Closed Date: April 4, 2008

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Case Summary

For the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse collection of FISA matters, see our special collection. On January 17, 2014, the Director of National Intelligence authorized the declassification and public release of numerous orders approving the National Security Agency's ("NSA") so-called "Bulk Telephony Metadata Program" under Section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("FISA"), commonly referred to as Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act. Under the program, the NSA has col…

For the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse collection of FISA matters, see our special collection.

On January 17, 2014, the Director of National Intelligence authorized the declassification and public release of numerous orders approving the National Security Agency's ("NSA") so-called "Bulk Telephony Metadata Program" under Section 501 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("FISA"), commonly referred to as Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Under the program, the NSA has collected records from large telecommunication companies about, apparently, virtually all domestic telephone calls. These records, termed "telephony metadata," include the phone numbers placed and received; the date, time and duration of calls; some location identifiers; and calling card numbers. The records, however, apparently do not include the parties' names, addresses or financial information or the call's content. Once collected, the records are stored for several years and may be queried, used, and disseminated only in accordance with "minimization rules" proposed by the government and approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ("FISC"). The most basic aspect of the minimization rules has been that the metadata records can be queried when there is a reasonable suspicion, based on specific and articulated facts, that the identifier that will be used as the basis for the query is associated with specified foreign terrorist organizations.

The program began under executive authority alone, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Subsequently, in 2006, the federal government first sought approval of the program from the FISC under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act. This Section 215 order must be reviewed and reapproved by the FISC essentially every 90 days. It has been approved dozens of times by many different federal judges, on the FISC, since its initial approval on May 24, 2006 by the FISC. (See BR 06-05). This particular Section 215 order was granted by FISC Judge Malcolm J. Howard in January 2008. As usual, this order includes "minimization" procedures that impose a variety of limits on the NSA's use of the telephony metadata. The minimization procedures enumerated in this order are the same as in the previous order (BR 07-16), with one exception. In a new footnote, the FISC explained that, for purposes of analytical efficiency, a copy of the metadata obtained pursuant to this order will be stored in the same database as data obtained pursuant to other NSA authorities and data provided to NSA by other sources. The FISC also moved the language concerning the NSA General Counsel's spot checks to a different section of the order.

The authorization expired on April 4, 2008, at 5:00 p.m.

The order in this matter was succeeded by BR 08-04.

Summary Authors

Michael Mirdamadi (2/15/2014)

Brian Tengel (3/25/2015)

People


Judge(s)

Howard, Malcolm Jones (North Carolina)

McLaughlin, Mary A. (Pennsylvania)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Eisenberg, John A. (District of Columbia)

Garre, Gregory G. (District of Columbia)

Olsen, Matthew G. (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant
Judge(s)

Howard, Malcolm Jones (North Carolina)

McLaughlin, Mary A. (Pennsylvania)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

08-00001

Primary Order

In re Application of the FBI for an Order Requiring the Production of Tangible Things From [Redacted]

Jan. 1, 2008

Jan. 1, 2008

Order/Opinion

Docket

Last updated March 14, 2024, 3:06 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

National Security

Special Collection(s):

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- All Matters

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- Telephony Metadata

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

Key Dates

Filing Date: 2008

Closing Date: April 4, 2008

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

U.S. Government, proceeding by an application by the FBI, on behalf of the NSA

Plaintiff Type(s):

U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Case Details

Causes of Action:

FISA Title V order (PATRIOT Act § 215, business records or other tangible things), 50 U.S.C. §§ 1861-1862

Constitutional Clause(s):

Unreasonable search and seizure

Available Documents:

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Order Duration: 2008 - 2008

Content of Injunction:

Reporting

Recordkeeping

Monitoring

Warrant/order for search or seizure

Issues

General:

Record-keeping

Records Disclosure

Search policies

Terrorism/Post 9-11 issues