Opinion ID: 619809
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The agency denials

Text: In the first request (Claim II in his complaint), Mr. Jordan asked that, under the FOIA, the BOP provide [him] with a complete list of staff names and titles for all staff at the [Supermax]. R. at 284. The FOIA requires federal agencies to make Government records available to the public, subject to nine exemptions for specific categories of material. Milner v. Dep't of the Navy, ___ U.S. ___, 131 S.Ct. 1259, 1261-62, 179 L.Ed.2d 268 (2011). The BOP denied Mr. Jordan's Claim II request under Exemption 7F, R. at 288, which applies to any records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes that could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(F). Mr. Jordan appealed administratively to the DOJ's Office of Information and Privacy (OIP), which affirmed. In the second request (Claim III in his complaint), Mr. Jordan invoked both the FOIA and the Privacy Act in asking the BOP for all documents in any and all Bureau psychological and psychiatric files relating to [him] and promulgated or dated January 1, 2004 through to the date of [his] request. R. at 297. The Privacy Act generally allows individuals to gain access to government records on them and to request correction of inaccurate records. Gowan v. U.S. Dep't of the Air Force, 148 F.3d 1182, 1187 (10th Cir.1998). The BOP released thirty-six pages of documents to Mr. Jordan but redacted one paragraph based on FOIA Exemptions 2 and 5. R. at 301-02. Exemption 2 applies to matters that are ... related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency. 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(2). Exemption 5 applies to matters that are ... inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency. 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(5). Mr. Jordan appealed to the OIP, which affirmed the withholding of the redacted information under Exemption 2. R. at 312. In the third request to the BOP (Claim IV in his complaint), Mr. Jordan invoked the FOIA and the Privacy Act in seeking a copy of all mail matter that was sent to or from [him] and copied by staff at the ADX Florence. Id. at 314. The BOP identified 495 pages of copied correspondence but denied the request in full under Exemptions 2, 7E, and 7F. R. at 318. Exemption 7E applies to any records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes that would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law. 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(E). The OIP affirmed under Exemptions 2 and 7E. R. at 328.