Filed Date: Sept. 16, 2016
Closed Date: 2017
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On September 16, 2016, The Associated Press, Gannett Satellite Information Network LLC, and Vice Media, LLC filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs sued the Federal Bureau of Investigation pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §§ 552, et seq. The plaintiffs sought to compel the FBI to provide records about the publicly acknowledged purchase of a tool allowing the government access to the phone of one of the perpetrators of the mass killings in San Bernardino, California on December 2, 2015. '
The defendant completed document review through January, 2017 to determine whether FOIA exemptions would apply to the documents. On January 30, 2017, the defendant moved for summary judgment citing to various exemptions to have the claim dismissed. The plaintiffs cross-moved for summary judgment on February 20, 2017.
The Court (Judge Tanya S. Chutkan) granted the defendant's motion for summary judgment on September 30, 2017. Plaintiff sought the identity of the vendor who unlocked the phone and the purchase price of the vendor. The Court found the defendant properly invoked exemption 1 (information specifically authorized to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy by an Executive Order), exemption 3 (information exempted by statute), and exemption 7 (information compiled for law enforcement purposes). However, the Court found Exemption 4 (trade secret and commercial or financial information) did not apply. 265 F. Supp. 3d 82.
The docket was last updated on September 30, 2017.
Summary Authors
Carolina Velarde (10/10/2016)
Cade Boland (3/19/2018)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4498705/parties/associated-press-v-federal-bureau-of-investigation/
Adebonojo, Kenneth A. (District of Columbia)
AMORE, CHRISTOPHER D. (District of Columbia)
Baer, Michael Hendry (District of Columbia)
BELEN, CHRISTOPHER D. (District of Columbia)
Bead, Jeanette Melendez (District of Columbia)
Chutkan, Tanya Sue (District of Columbia)
Adebonojo, Kenneth A. (District of Columbia)
AMORE, CHRISTOPHER D. (District of Columbia)
Baer, Michael Hendry (District of Columbia)
BELEN, CHRISTOPHER D. (District of Columbia)
Bell, Venetia D. (District of Columbia)
Bensing, Daniel Edward (District of Columbia)
Bernie, Andrew Marshall (District of Columbia)
Black, Alesia N. (District of Columbia)
Borson, Joseph Evan (District of Columbia)
Bouman, Rachel Ann (District of Columbia)
Braswell, Marina Utgoff (District of Columbia)
Bressler, Steven Y. (District of Columbia)
Brown, Aimee Woodward (District of Columbia)
Buckingham, Stephen J. (District of Columbia)
Burch, Alan R. (District of Columbia)
Butler, Damarr M. (District of Columbia)
Campbell, Rhonda Lisa (District of Columbia)
CARMICHAEL, ANDREW EVAN (District of Columbia)
Castellano, Daniel Robert (District of Columbia)
Cohen, Jason Todd (District of Columbia)
Coppolino, Anthony Joseph (District of Columbia)
CRUTCHLOW, JOHN T. (District of Columbia)
Desai, Vikas K. (District of Columbia)
Dugan, Joseph C. (District of Columbia)
DURRETT, DEANNA LYNN (District of Columbia)
Field, Brian J. (District of Columbia)
Fields, Rhonda C. (District of Columbia)
Francis, Tricia Dianne (District of Columbia)
Freeborne, Paul G. (District of Columbia)
Frye, Kathleen M. (District of Columbia)
Gilligan, James J. (District of Columbia)
Goitein, Elizabeth (District of Columbia)
Goldfluss, Lisa Sheri (District of Columbia)
Gonzalez-Horowitz, Brenda A. (District of Columbia)
Gostin, Kieran Gavin (District of Columbia)
Goulka, Jeremiah (District of Columbia)
Graham-Oliver, Heather D. (District of Columbia)
Guzman, Javier M. (District of Columbia)
Haas, Alexander Kenneth (District of Columbia)
Hair, Christopher Charles (District of Columbia)
Hammer, Jonathan Ryan (District of Columbia)
Hammond, Derek S. (District of Columbia)
Herb, Kimberly Lynn (District of Columbia)
Holloway, Tammy Allison (District of Columbia)
Huff, Pamela D. (District of Columbia)
Humphreys, Bradley P. (District of Columbia)
Interrante, John G. (District of Columbia)
Jones, Sian (District of Columbia)
Kaplan, Jennifer Beth (District of Columbia)
Kaser, Sylvia T. (District of Columbia)
Kelleher, Diane (District of Columbia)
Kelly, Wynne Patrick (District of Columbia)
Lee, Jennifer Joy (District of Columbia)
Lennon, John Gregory (District of Columbia)
Lev, Ori (District of Columbia)
Lo, Michelle (District of Columbia)
Lopez-Morales, Cesar A. (District of Columbia)
Lyons, Jane M. (District of Columbia)
Maier, Peter Rolf (District of Columbia)
Marcus, Lisa Zeidner (District of Columbia)
Martinez, Gabriel R. (District of Columbia)
McBarnette, Andrea (District of Columbia)
McBride, Patricia K. (District of Columbia)
McDaniel, Oliver W. (District of Columbia)
Mei, Vesper (District of Columbia)
Merritt, R. Charlie (District of Columbia)
MERRITT, ROBERT CHARLES (District of Columbia)
Modlinger, Alan Stuart (District of Columbia)
Molen, Kathleene A. (District of Columbia)
Morris, Brenda K. (District of Columbia)
Motgi, Anjali (District of Columbia)
Myers, Steven A. (District of Columbia)
Nebeker, William Mark (District of Columbia)
O'Neill, Sean Ryan (District of Columbia)
OSBORN, JOHN G. (District of Columbia)
Owens, Cindy S. (District of Columbia)
Padda, Paul S. (District of Columbia)
Palmer-Ball, Katherine Boyd (District of Columbia)
Parker, Ryan Bradley (District of Columbia)
Patton, Rodney (District of Columbia)
Peterson, Benton Gregory (District of Columbia)
Phipps, Peter J. (District of Columbia)
Powell, Amy E. (District of Columbia)
Quinn, Thomas Anthony (District of Columbia)
Quist, Niels Stefan (District of Columbia)
Raines, Joshua Thomas (District of Columbia)
Risner, Scott (District of Columbia)
Rogers, Joshua L. (District of Columbia)
ROMERO, JACQUELINE CHRISTINE (District of Columbia)
Ross, Carl Ezekiel (District of Columbia)
RUYMANN, JOHN ANDREW (District of Columbia)
Sandberg, Justin Michael (District of Columbia)
Schaefer, Daniel Patrick (District of Columbia)
Schmitt, Addy R. (District of Columbia)
Schwei, Daniel Stephen (District of Columbia)
Scott, Olivia R. (District of Columbia)
Seabrook, April Denise (District of Columbia)
Seo, Michelle Jean (District of Columbia)
Shapiro, Elizabeth J. (District of Columbia)
Simon, Jeremy S. (District of Columbia)
Singer, Sam M. (District of Columbia)
Siple, Adam Christopher (District of Columbia)
Smith, Peter S. (District of Columbia)
Smith, Caroline A. (District of Columbia)
Smith, Jeffrey Michael (District of Columbia)
Snell, Kevin Matthew (District of Columbia)
Soskin, Eric J. (District of Columbia)
Sowles, Marcia Kay (District of Columbia)
Sroka, Scott Leeson (District of Columbia)
STRINGER, KAREN DEBORAH (District of Columbia)
Subar, Judry Laeb (District of Columbia)
Sullivan, Diane M. (District of Columbia)
Taaffe, Damon William (District of Columbia)
TAYLOR, ANNE B. (District of Columbia)
Thurston, Robin Frances (District of Columbia)
Tilghman, Michael A. (District of Columbia)
Truong, John Cuong (District of Columbia)
Tyler, Emily Kathryn (District of Columbia)
Tyler, John Russell (District of Columbia)
Ullman, Susan K. (District of Columbia)
Vanek, Sean Joseph (District of Columbia)
VASSALLO, KRISTIN LYNN (District of Columbia)
Wagner, Michael David (District of Columbia)
Walker, Johnny Hillary (District of Columbia)
Wells, Carlotta Porter (District of Columbia)
Westmoreland, Rachael Lynn (District of Columbia)
Whitaker, Claire M. (District of Columbia)
Wood, Tyler James (District of Columbia)
Bead, Jeanette Melendez (District of Columbia)
Bowman, Chad Russell (District of Columbia)
Ehrlich, Julie B. (District of Columbia)
GINENSKY, AMY B. (District of Columbia)
Levine, Lee (District of Columbia)
Rappaport, Adam J. (District of Columbia)
Schafer, Matthew Lynn (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4498705/associated-press-v-federal-bureau-of-investigation/
Last updated March 17, 2024, 3:07 a.m.
State / Territory: District of Columbia
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 16, 2016
Closing Date: 2017
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
News Organizations
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public (for-profit) corporation
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal Bureau of Investigation (Washington, District of Columbia), Federal
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General: