Source: https://openjurist.org/670/f2d/1158/founding-church-of-scientology-of-washington-inc-v-t-regan
Timestamp: 2017-10-22 03:32:09
Document Index: 86446820

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552', '§ 552']

670 F2d 1158 Founding Church of Scientology of Washington Inc v. T Regan | OpenJurist
670 F. 2d 1158 - Founding Church of Scientology of Washington Inc v. T Regan
670 F2d 1158 Founding Church of Scientology of Washington Inc v. T Regan
670 F.2d 1158
216 U.S.App.D.C. 339
FOUNDING CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY OF WASHINGTON, D. C., INC.
Before ROBINSON, Chief Judge, McGOWAN, Senior Circuit Judge, and PARKER, District Judge*.
The Government appeals from an order of the District Court, 490 F.Supp. 144, requiring the United States National Central Bureau (USNCB) of the International Police Organization (Interpol) to disclose documentary materials, previously received from foreign police agencies through Interpol, concerning the Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, D. C., Inc. In reaching this determination, the court rejected the Government's1 argument that Interpol is a confidential source within the meaning of Exemption 7(D) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).2 The court further directed the Government to retrieve and index similar documents, formerly but not currently in the possession of USNCB, from Interpol's files at its headquarters in Paris, France. Recent decisions of the Supreme Court and this court, by our analysis, control the questions here at issue, and require us to reverse the order under review.
Addressing the Church's contention that it was also entitled, by an earlier decision of the District Court,14 to the documents forwarded by USNCB to Interpol, the court ordered USNCB to obtain and submit a Vaughn index15 of the materials previously returned to Interpol.16 On the Government's motion for reconsideration, the court reexamined its document-retrieval order in light of the Supreme Court's intervening decision in Kissinger v. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.17 Adopting the view that USNCB is essentially a field facility of Interpol, the court reasoned that "Congress expected agencies to search for their documents in affiliate offices,"18 concluded that Kissinger was not controlling in the circumstances presented, and reaffirmed its original ruling.19II. EXEMPTION 7(D)
5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(D) (1976), quoted in text infra at note 15
Our description of Interpol and USNCB is taken primarily from one of the affidavits submitted to the District Court. Third affidavit of Marydale Drury (filed May 8, 1980), J. App. 146 (hereinafter cited as Drury Affidavit). Another description of Interpol and its operations may be found in Sami v. United States, 199 U.S.App.D.C. 173, 617 F.2d 755 (1979). See also Steinberg v. Interpol, No. 80-1336 (D.C.Cir. Oct. 23, 1981)
5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(2) (1976)
5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(C) (1976)
5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(D) (1976), quoted in text infra at note 20
Founding Church of Scientology v. Miller, 490 F.Supp. 144, 146-147 (D.D.C.1980). Cross-motions for summary judgment provided the procedural posture of the case
490 F.Supp. at 150
445 U.S. 136, 100 S.Ct. 960, 63 L.Ed.2d 267 (1980)
Founding Church of Scientology v. Miller, 490 F.Supp. 144, 150, 151 (D.D.C. May 13, 1980) (memorandum and order on reconsideration) (hereinafter cited as "Decision on Reconsideration")
5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(D) (1976)
Founding Church of Scientology v. Miller, supra note 9, 490 F.Supp. at 147-149
Founding Church of Scientology v. Miller, supra note 9, 490 F.Supp. at 149
Id. at 147. More precisely, the District Court stated that "(d)espite its lack of law enforcement authority, there can be no question that the records involved here were compiled by Interpol to relay to other police entities 'for law enforcement purposes.' " Id. Given the context of the District Court's statement, it appears that "Interpol" refers to USNCB as well as to the international organization headquartered in Paris. The nature of the "law enforcement purposes" requirement has been explored previously by this court, see, e.g., Abramson v. FBI, 212 U.S.App.D.C. ---, 658 F.2d 806 (1980), cert. granted, --- U.S. ----, 101 S.Ct. 3079, 69 L.Ed.2d 951 (U.S.1981); Weissman v. CIA, 184 U.S.App.D.C. 117, 119-121, 565 F.2d 692, 694-696 (1977); Rural Housing Alliance v. United States Dep't of Agriculture, 162 U.S.App.D.C. 122, 128-131, 498 F.2d 73, 79-82 (1974) (decided prior to enactment of 1974 FOIA amendments), as well as other circuits, see, e.g., Irons v. Bell, 596 F.2d 468, 472-476 (1st Cir. 1979); Kuehnert v. FBI, 620 F.2d 662, 666-667 (8th Cir. 1980); Founding Church of Scientology v. United States Dep't of Army, 611 F.2d 738, 748-749 (9th Cir. 1979). Since no challenge has been raised to the holding that the documents were compiled for law enforcement purposes, we need not address that question in this case
5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(D), quoted in text supra at note 20. See note 29 supra
437 U.S. 214, 98 S.Ct. 2311, 57 L.Ed.2d 159 (1978)
Id. at 232, 98 S.Ct. at 2322, 57 L.Ed.2d at 172
5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(A) (1976)
We note that the question whether an ongoing enforcement proceeding is required differs from the question whether the agency seeking refuge in Exemption 7(D) compiled the information for law enforcement purposes, see note 29 supra, and from the question whether the agency was conducting "a criminal investigation, or ... a lawful national security intelligence investigation," a prerequisite to operation of Exemption 7(D). 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(D) (1976), quoted in text supra at note 20. In Lesar v. Department of Justice, supra note 22, we indicated that the agency may be required to demonstrate that withheld information was compiled in the course of a legitimate investigation of that type. See Lesar v. Department of Justice, supra note 22, 204 U.S.App.D.C. at 220, 636 F.2d at 492. Further guidance may be forthcoming from the Supreme Court since certiorari was recently granted in a case involving a distinct but related question. See Abramsom v. FBI, supra note 29 (certiorari granted on question whether information compiled for law enforcement purposes and privileged from disclosure under Exemption 7(C) loses its exempt status when incorporated into records compiled for purposes other than law enforcement). We need not address that issue in this case, however, since the Church has not challenged the legitimacy of USNCB's purposes in requesting the information concerning the Church from Interpol
445 U.S. at 146-147, 100 S.Ct. at 966-967, 63 L.Ed.2d at 267
445 U.S. at 150, 100 S.Ct. at 968-969, 63 L.Ed.2d at 281
Id. at 150-151, 100 S.Ct. at 969, 63 L.Ed.2d at 281
Decision on Reconsideration, supra note 14, 490 F.Supp. at 151, citing 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(B) (1976). In cases where records are located in field facilities the agency is permitted more time to produce the sought-after materials. 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(B) (1976)