T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on a nd i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R . 36- 3.

T he H on orabl e W i l l i am E . S m i th, D i stri ctJudg e f or the U . S . D i stri ct ** C our tf orthe D i s tr i c tof

R hode I s l a nd, s i tt i ng by de s i gna t i on. NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS FOR T HE NI NTH CI RC UI T AI DA N MON AG HA N, P la in tif

f - A p p e lla n t, v. F E DE R AL B UR E AU OF I NV E S T I GA T I ON ; DE P AR T ME NT OF J U S T I C E , D efen d an t s-A p p el l ees. N o. 11- 16214 D . C . N o . 2 : 0 9 - c v - 0 2 1 9 9 - J C MG WF ME MOR AN DU M *

A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt

f orthe D i s tr i c tof

N e va da J a m e s C . M a ha n, D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d N ove m be r9, 2012 S a n F r a n c is c o , C a lif

o rn ia B ef ore: B E R Z O N and K L E IN F E L D , C i rc ui tJudg es , and S M IT H , D i stri ctJudg e. ** 

# FI LED JAN 28 2 013 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS2

P l ai n t i ff-A p p el l an t A i d an M o n ag h an ap p eal s th e d i stri ct co u rt ’ s d en i al o f h is m ot i on for s um m ary j ud gm ent for aF re edom of Inform at i on A ct(“ F O IA ”) fe e w ai ver a n d th e d i s tr i c tc o u r t ’ s g r a n t i n g o f D e f e n d a n t - A p p e l l a n tFe d e r a l Bu r e au of In v est i g at i o n ’ s (“ F B I”) m o t i o n t o d i sm i ss. W e rev i ew b o th i ssu es de no vo , w ith r e vi e w of

the f e e w a i ve rde c i s i on l i m i t e d t o t h e a dm i ni s tr a t i ve r e c or d be f or e the a g e n c y . See 5 U .S .C . § 5 5 2 ( a ) ( 4 ) ( A ) ( v ii) ; B a n k s to n v . W h ite , 3 4 5 F .3 d 7 6 8 , 7 7 0 ( 9 th C i r. 20 03 ); Fr i e nds of the C oas t Fork v . U ni te d State s D e

p’ t of the I nte r i or , 110 F . 3d 53 , 54 (9th C i r. 19 97 ). F or the re as on s that fol l ow , the di stri ct courtorder of di sm i ss al is a f f irm e d . A . T he R ec ord A s a n in itia l m a tt e r , M o n a g h a n in c o rr e c tly a r g u e s th a t th e F B I ’s u n tim e ly Ja nu ary 13, 20 10 re spon se l ett eri s a“ pos t hoc r e s pons e ” tha t s houl d be s tr i c ke n f r om t he admi ni s tr a t i ve r e c or d. A n a dmi ni s tr a t i ve r e c or d i nc l ud e s “ the i ni t i a l F O IA r e q u e s t, th e a g en cy’s resp o n se , a nd a ny s ubs e que ntm a t e r i a l s r e l a t e d t o the a d m in is tr a tiv e ap p e a l.” For e s t G uardi ans v . U ni te d State s D e

p’ t of the I nte r i or , 416 F . 3d 1173, 1177 ( 10th C i r . 2005) ( e m pha s i s a dde d) . A s m a ny c a s e s de m ons tr a t e , the fa ctthatan agency’ s r es po nse w as un t i m el y does notprec l ud e incl usi on of that r e s p o n s e in th e a d m in is tr a tiv e r e c o r d f o rc o n s id e r a tio n b y th e c o u r ts . See P ol lack v . U ni ted Stat es D ep’t

of Just i ce , 4 9 F .3 d 1 1 5 , 1 1 7 , 1 2 0 ( 4 th C ir . 1 9 9 5 ) ; Je an es v. U ni ted3

Stat es D ep’t

of Just i ce , 3 5 7 F . S u p p . 2 d 1 1 9 , 1 2 1 , 1 2 3 ( D .D .C . 2 0 0 4 ) ; M ayda k v . U ni ted Stat es D ep’t of

Just i ce , 254 F . S upp. 2d 23, 50 ( D . D . C . 2003) . T he r e a s on f or thi s i s s i m pl e : ac our t ’ s f unc t i on i s t o r e vi e w the de c i s i on m a de by the a ge nc y a nd not to r e litig a te th e f

a c ts o r to c r e a te a n e w r e c o r d o n ap p e a l. Se e C a m p v . P itts , 4 1 1 U . S. 1 3 8 , 1 4 2 - 4 3 ( 1 9 7 3 ) . H e r e , th e F B I ’s u n t i m e l y r e s p o n s e w a s n o t a n a tte m p t to m a ni p u l a t e th e r e c o r d o n j u d i c i a l r e v i e w . To th e c o n tr a ry , w i th th e e x c e p t i on of tim e lin e s s , th e r e s p o n s e ap p e a r s to b e th e F B I ’s a tte m p t to c o m p ly w ith F O I A : it expl ai ned the F B I’ s d et erm i nat i on thatthe w ai ver w as un w arra nt ed, prov i ded d et ai l ed re as on s f or thatdet erm i nat i on , i nform ed M o n ag h an of hi s r i gh tt o app ea l , no t i fi ed M ona gha n of

the unus ua l c i r c um s t a nc e s a f f e c t i ng the a m ountof

t i m e i tw oul d t a ke t o di s c l os e the doc um e nt s , i nf orm ed M ona gha n of

the a c c rue d c os t s of

the s e a r c h, re qu es t ed advanced paym ent of these hi gh cost s, and w as w ri tt en by the se ct i on chi ef of the R ec ord/ Inform at i on D i ss em i nat i on S ec t i on , no tby an att orney fro m th e l egal t e a m d e f

e n d in g th e la w s u it. See 5 U . S . C . §§ 55 2(a) (4)( A )( i i i ), (a )( 6)(A )( i ), (a )( 6)(B )( i )- (i i ); 28 C . F . R . § 1 6. 11 (c )( 2 ). T hu s, i tw as no tan i m prop er pos t hoc r e s p o n s e , a n d th e d is tr ic t c o u r t p r o p e r ly c o n s id e r e d it.4

B . F e e W a iv e rU n d e r5 U .S .C . § 5 5 2 ( a ) ( 4 ) ( A ) ( iii) & 2 8 C .F .R . § 16. 11( k) B oth the F B I a nd the di s tr i c t c our tc orr e c t l y c onc l ude d tha tthe a dm i ni s tr a t i ve re cord do es no t supp ort a fee w ai ver for M on aghan’ s F O IA re qu es t . W hi l e f ee w ai ver re q u es ts ar e to b e lib er ally co n stru ed , th e b u rd en is o n th e r eq u es ter to sa ti sf y F O IA ’s st atu t o ry req u i rem en t s a n d th e D ep artm en to f Ju st i ce’ s reg u l at o ry st an d ard s. M on aghan fai l s t o m ee thi s bur d en because he has provi ded o nl y c on cl usory a lle g a tio n s . Se e For e s t

G uardi ans , 416 F . 3d a t 1177- 78 ( quot i ng Judi ci alW atch Inc. v . R o s s o tti , 32 6 F . 3d 13 09 , 1 3 1 2 (D . C . C i r. 20 03 )) . F or exam pl e, M on aghan st at es th a t b e c a u s e “th e F B I in v e s tig a tio n o f th e te rr o r is t a t t a c k s o f

S e p te m b e r1 1 , 2 0 0 1 is th e la r g e s t e v e ru n d e r ta k e n b y th e b u r e au ,” th e “[ r ]e le a s e o f th e r e q u e s te d r e c o r d s w ill contri bu t e gre at l y t o the pu bl i c und er st andi ng of go vernm ent op er at i on , ” b ut he do es n o te x p l a i n w h y . I t i s u n c l e a r h o w d o c u me n t s th a ta d d r e s s “ b r o a d p u b l i c s k e p t i c i s m” and “ pu bl i c dou bt s” re gardi ng the cr as hes of A m er i ca n A i rl i nes f l i gh t77 and U ni t ed A i r l i ne s f

l i ght93 a r e “ m e a ni ngf ul l y i nf orm a t i ve ” on gove rnm e nt a l ope r a t i ons or act i v i t i es, an d i t i s n o t th e F B I’ s resp o n si b i l i ty t o i n fer a co n n ectio n . See 2 8 C. F. R. § 1 6 .1 1 ( k ) ( 2 ) ( ii) ; Jarv i k v . C en t. Intel l i gence A gency , 495 F . S upp. 2d 67, 72- 73 ( D .D .C . 2 0 0 7 ) .5

M o n a g h a n a l s o f

a i l s to s h o w h o w d is c lo s u r e w ill c o n tr ib u te to p u b lic unde r s t a ndi ng be c aus e he doe s note s t abl i s h e i the ra n abi l i ty ori nt e nt i on t o e ffe c tiv e ly c o n v e y in f

o rm a tio n to a b r o a d p u b lic a u d ie n c e . See 28 C . F . R . § 16. 11( k) ( 2) ( i i i ) . T he F B I e xpl a i ns i n i t s r e s pons e tha tM ona gha n’ s s ub- bl og i s note a s i l y a c c e s s i bl e thr ough g e n e r a l s e a r c h e s c o n d u c te d o n c o m m o n s e a r c h e n g in e s . M o n a g h a n d o e s n o t d is p u te thi s , nordoe s he pr ovi de a ny i nf orm a t i on r e ga r di ng the w e bs i t e t raf f i c ornum be rof h i t s th atei th er h i s su b - b lo g o r th e 9 1 1 b l o g g er. co m w eb si t e attract . G i v en th ese unc e r t a i nt i e s , M ona gha n f a i l s t o e s t abl i s h tha ta ny i nf orm a t i o n p u ton hi s s ub- bl og w i l l r e a c h the publ i c a nd c ontr i but e t o a“ publ i c unde rst an d i ng” of gove rnm e nt ac t i vi t i es . T he re fe re nces t o the Be a c o n - Ne ws , “ L oo se C hang e 9/ 11 : A n A m er i ca n C ou p, ” a nd “ T he N ew P ea rl H arbo r R evi si t ed: 9/ 11 , the C ov er -U p, and the E xp osé” ar e l i kew i se inadequat e. T he re cord i s c om pl et el y s i l ent(absentM on aghan’ s bar e as se rt i on s) as t o w hat i nform at i on these pu bl i ca t i on s report ed and w hether M on aghan r e c e i v e d a n y c r e d i tf

o rs u p p l y i n g th e i n f

o rma t i o n . Th e o n l y w a y t o v e r i f y th e s e c l a i ms w oul d be t o r e a d the ne w s r e por t s , l i s t e n t o t he doc um e nt a ry pr ogr a m s , a nd buy a nd r e a d th e b o o k . I t is n o t th e F B I ’s r e s p o n s ib ility to g o o n as c a v e n g e rh u n t. F i na l l y , the F B I ’ s r e s pons e l e tt e robs e rve s th at p o r t i ons of the r e s pons i ve doc um e nt s ha ve pr e vi ous l y be e n r e l e a s e d t o the publ i c . M ona gha n doe s notc ha l l e nge thi s po si t i on , and the do cum ent s’ pri or avai l abi l i ty m akes them un l i kel y t o fu rther6

c o n tr ib u te to p u b lic u n d e r s ta n d in g o f g o v e rn m e n t o p e r a tio n s . See 2 8 C . F .R . § 1 6 .1 1 ( k ) ( 2 ) ( ii) . C . F e e P r e c l us i on M ona g h an ’ s fi na l a tt e m ptt o a voi d pa y i ng f e e s - a n a r gum e ntpr e di c a t e d on F O I A ’s f e e p r e c lu s io n s u b s e c tio n - is lik e w is e u n a v a ilin g . W h e n h e f ile d h is la w s u it, M o n ag h an k n ew th e F B I h ad fai l ed t o co m p ly w ith F O IA ’ s t i m e req u i rem en t s. Indeed, i tw as a pre re qu isi t e f or the l aw sui t . Y et , hi s A m ended C om pl ai nt , w hi ch c ont a i ns as e c t i on e nt i t l e d “ w a i ve r of s e a r c h a nd r e pr oduc t i on f e e s , ” i s e nt i r e l y s i l e nt on f e e pr e c l us i on. M o reo v er, w he n M ona gha n f i l e d hi s s um m a ry j udgm e ntm ot i on on A pr i l 22, 2010, i tha d be e n thr e e m onths s i nc e the F B I ’ s r e s pons e l e tt e rr e que s t i ng th a t M o n a g h a n p a y $ 8 6 4 in a c c ru e d s e a r c h f e e s . B e c au s e th e p a r t ie s h a d a g r e e d to reso l v e al l fee i ssu es d u ri n g th e fi rstp arto f th e b i fu rcat ed tri al , an d th e F B I’ s resp o n se p u t M o n a g h a n o n n o tic e o f h is o b lig a tio n to p a y , a n y f e e p r e c lu s io n a r g u m e n ts s h o u ld have been rai se d atsum m ary j ud gm ent ; no su ch argu m ent s w er e r ai se d. W hen M o n a g h a n d id f

in a lly d e c id e to r a is e th e is s u e - in r e s p o n s e t o t h e F B I ’s m o tio n to di s m i s s - he w a s t oo l a t e ; the t i m e f orr a i s i ng the i s s ue ha d a l r ead y p assed , a nd thus M o n a g h a n w a iv e d th e f e e p r e c lu s io n a r g u m e n t. See D et tm an n v. U ni ted Stat es D ep’t of Just i ce , 8 0 2 F .2 d 1 4 7 2 , 1 4 7 6 ( D .C . C ir . 1 9 8 6 ) .7

D . F ai l ure t o P ayF O IA F ee s M o n ag h an ’ s arg u m en tth atth e d i stri ctco u rterred i n d i sm i ssi n g th e case be c a us e he c ons truc t i ve l y e xha us t e d hi s a dm i ni s tr a t i ve re m e di e s m i s unde r s t a nds F O I A ’ s e xhaus t i on r e qui r e m e nt . I t i s undi s put e d tha tw he n the F B I f a i l e d t o r e s pond t o M on aghan’ s i ni t i al A ug ustre qu es tand h i s S ept em ber 2 9 app ea l l ett er , M on aghan construct i vel y e xh aust ed hi s a dm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es re gardi ng deci si on s on hi s F O IA r e que s ta nd f

e e w ai v er, a nd he pr ope r l y f i l e d s ui ti n the di s tr i c tc our t . “ T he c o n s tru c tiv e e x h a u s t i o n p r o v is io n , h o w e v e r , d id n o t r e lie v e [ d e f e n d a n t] o f

h is s ta tu to ry o b l i g a tio n to p a y a n y a n d a ll f e e s w h ic h th e a g e n c y w a s a u th o r iz e d to col l ec t . ” P ol lack , 4 9 F .3 d a t 1 1 9 ; s e e al s o D e t tm ann , 802 F . 2d a t1477 (“ [A ] pl ai nt i ff m ay h av e exh aust ed adm i ni stra t i ve re m edi es w i th res pectt o o ne as pectof a F O IA r e que s t. . . a nd y e t not ha ve e xhaus t e d he rr e m e di e s w i th r e s pe c tt o a nothe ra s pe c tof a F O IA re qu es t . ”) . O nce the di stri ctcourtdeni ed M on aghan’ s m ot i on for s um m ary ju d g m e n t, M o n a g h a n b e c a m e o b lig a te d to p a y th e f e e s r e la te d to h is r e q u e s t, r e g a r d le s s o f

th e F B I ’s u n tim e lin e s s . See P ol lack , 4 9 F .3 d a t1 1 9 - 2 0 ; Kurdyukov v. D r ug E nf

or c e m e nt A dm i n. , 57 8 F . S up p. 2d 61 , 65 (D . D . C . 20 08 ). B ec ause he fa i l ed t o do s o, the F B I ha s not“ ( 1) ‘ i m pr ope r l y ’ ( 2) ‘ w i thhe l d’ ( 3) ‘ a ge nc y r e c or ds ’ ” a nd th e d is tr ic t c o u r t p r o p e r ly d is m is s e d M o n a g h a n ’s c l a im . Se e U ni te d State s D e

p’ t of J u s tic e v . T

a x A n a lys ts , 49 2 U . S . 13 6, 14 2 (19 89 ).8

AF F I RME D.- 1-

M ona gha n v. F e de r a l B ur e au of I nve s t i ga t i on, 11- 16214 B E R Z O N , C i r c ui tJ udge , di s s e nt i ng: I r e s p e c tf u lly d is s e n t. F i r s t , the pr e c l us i on i s s ue unde r5 U . S . C . § 552( a ) ( 4) ( A ) ( vi i i ) w a s not w ai ved. T he st atut e’ s f

ee prec l usi on prov i si on i s m ore l i m i t ed than the broader w a iv e rM o n a g h a n o r ig in a lly s o u g h t w h e n h e m o v e d f o rs u m m a ry ju d g m e n t, a s it d o e s n o t n e c e s s a r ily c o v e rd u p lic a tio n c o s ts . C om pa re § 5 52 (a )( 4)(A )( vi i i ) w ith § 552( a ) ( 4) ( A ) ( i i i ) . T he pr e c l us i on a r gum e ntw a s r a i s e d i n r e s pons e t o the m ot i on t o di s m i s s , w hi c h w a s a n appr opr i a t e t i m e t o r a i s e i t , a s i tw a s ade f e ns e t o the F e d e r a l B u r e au o f

I n v e s tig a tio n ’s ( “F B I ’s ” ) a s s e r tio n th a t M o n a g h a n h a d f a ile d to e xha us tby pa y i ng a l l the f e e s de m a nde d— na m e l y , the $864 i n f e e s a c c rue d a s of J a nua ry 2010. T he precl usi on prov i si on i s di re ct l y app l i cabl e, as the F B I di d n otm ake a d e te rm in a tio n o n M o n a g h a n ’s r e q u e s t, r e c e iv e d o n A u g u s t 3 1 , 2 0 0 9 , w ith in tw e n ty days , or no t i fyM on aghan o f a n ext ensi on of thatst atut ory dea dl i ne, as re qu i re d un der § 55 2(a) (6)( A )( i ). M oreover, as I r ea d the “ un usual ci rc um st ance s” exce pt i on t o the fe e prec l usi on prov i si on , i tdo es no tabsol ve the F B I of the ob l i gat i on t o i nform F O IA r e que s t e r s tha tthe a ge nc y c a nnotc om pl y w i th the appl i c a t i on de a dl i ne be c aus e of 

# FI LED JAN 28 2 013 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS- 2-

u n u su al ci rcu m st an ces. See § 5 52 (a )( 4)(A )( vi i i ), (6)( B )–(C ). A s no such n ot i ce w as p r o v id e d , th e u n u s u a l c ir c u m s ta n c e s e x c e p tio n d o e s n o t ap p ly . S ec on d, I a l so w ou l d h ol d thatthe re cord supp ort s apu bl i c i nt er es tfe e w a i ve r , unde r§ 552( a ) ( 4) ( A ) ( i i i ) , f orM ona gha n’ s F O I A r e que s t . U nl i ke the m a j or i ty , I do notf

i nd “ unc l e a r ” the a s s e r t i on tha tr e l e a s e of F B I r e c or ds c onc e rni ng the i nve s t i ga t i on of the 9/ 11 c r a s he s c oul d pr ove i nf orm a t i ve f

orthe pu bl i c c on ce rni ng go vernm entop er at i on s. T hatas se rt i on se em s s el f- evi dent l y true. N ordo I s e e the r e l e va nc e of the pr e c i s e l oc a t i on of

M ona gha n’ s bl og on the i nt e rne t ; i ti s a c c e s s i bl e , e ve n i f not“ e a s i l y , ” t o thos e i nt e r e s t e d i n 9/ 11 i s s ue s , a nd M on aghan d i d, i n the bl og entri es thatw er e i ncl ud ed i n the st i pu l at ed ad m i n i strat i v e reco rd , i n cl u d e su b st an t i v e i n fo rm at i o n reg ard i n g th e 9 / 1 1 att ack s, a s w e l l a s a c c ount s of

hi s a tt e m pt s t o a c qui r e m or e i nf orm a t i on. F orthe f or e goi ng r e a s ons , I w oul d r e ve r s e the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s gr a ntof the F B I’ s m o t i o n t o d i sm i ss an d rem an d fo r fu rth er p ro ceed i n g s.