Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caDC-24-05067/USCOURTS-caDC-24-05067-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Alexander P. Bebris
Appellant
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Appellee

Document Text:

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT

____________

No. 24-5067 September Term, 2024

1:23-cv-03715-UNA

Filed On: January 6, 2025

Alexander P. Bebris,

Appellant

v.

National Center for Missing and Exploited

Children, also known as NCMEC,

Appellee

ON APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

BEFORE: Katsas, Childs, and Garcia, Circuit Judges

J U D G M E N T

This appeal was considered on the record from the United States District Court

for the District of Columbia and on the briefs filed by the parties. See Fed. R. App. P.

34(a)(2); D.C. Cir. Rule 34(j). Upon consideration of the foregoing, the motion to

correct the reply brief, the motion for judicial notice, and the motions to appoint counsel

and the addendum thereto, it is

ORDERED that the motion to correct the reply brief be granted. It is

FURTHER ORDERED that the motion for judicial notice be granted. It is

FURTHER ORDERED that the motions to appoint counsel be denied. In civil

cases, appellants are not entitled to appointment of counsel when they have not

demonstrated sufficient likelihood of success on the merits. It is

FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the district court’s order dated

February 2, 2024, be affirmed. The district court did not err in dismissing appellant’s

action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2) for failure to state a claim on which relief may

be granted. See Taylor v. U.S. Prob. Off., 409 F.3d 426, 428 (D.C. Cir. 2005). 

Specifically, the court did not err in concluding that appellant could not sustain a

Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) claim against appellee, the National Center for

USCA Case #24-5067 Document #2092660 Filed: 01/06/2025 Page 1 of 2
United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT

____________

No. 24-5067 September Term, 2024

Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”), because appellant failed to demonstrate

that NCMEC is an “agency” subject to suit under FOIA. See 5 U.S.C. § 552(f)(1);

5 U.S.C. § 551(1). Appellant cites various links between NCMEC and the federal

government, including NCMEC’s duty to cooperate with federal law enforcement and

Congress’s control over NCMEC’s use of federal funds. But appellant has not shown

that NCMEC possesses “the ‘authority’ necessary for it to qualify as an ‘authority of the

government of the United States’ under § 551(1) [or] the executive department status

necessary under § 552(f).” Dong v. Smithsonian Inst., 125 F.3d 877, 883 (D.C. Cir.

1997); see also Lazaridis v. U.S. Dep’t of Just., 713 F. Supp. 2d 64, 68-69 (D.D.C.

2010) (holding that NCMEC is not subject to FOIA).

Pursuant to D.C. Circuit Rule 36, this disposition will not be published. The Clerk

is directed to withhold issuance of the mandate herein until seven days after resolution

of any timely petition for rehearing or petition for rehearing en banc. See Fed. R. App.

P. 41(b); D.C. Cir. Rule 41.

Per Curiam

Page 2

USCA Case #24-5067 Document #2092660 Filed: 01/06/2025 Page 2 of 2