Opinion ID: 475307
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jurisdiction of Court of Appeals

Text: 10 The first issue we must address is whether this court has jurisdiction to review this appeal. We find that we do. Steele and Kruger contend that the jurisdictional requirements of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 3731 govern this appeal and that Sec. 3731 deprives this court of jurisdiction. Because we find that we have jurisdiction under either 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1291 or 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1292(a)(1), we do not address this issue. 11
12 Steele and Kruger argue that the district court's order compelling disclosure of their pre-grand jury statements is interlocutory and therefore not appealable as a final decision under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1291. We disagree. The District of Columbia Circuit defines a final decision in a FOIA case 3 as an order by the District Court requiring release of documents by the Government to the plaintiff, or order denying the plaintiff's right to such release. Green v. Department of Commerce, 618 F.2d 836, 841 (D.C.Cir.1980). Thus, an order compelling disclosure is appealable as a final decision under Sec. 1291. This court is in agreement with the D.C.Circuit. In Theriault v. United States, 503 F.2d 390 (9th Cir.1974), the party made a request for Air Force agency records and, upon refusal, instituted a FOIA proceeding. The party moved, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34, for an order requiring production of the documents. The district court granted the motion and ordered the production of the documents. The government appealed. This court held that Rule 34 orders are ordinarily interlocutory and non-appealable under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1291. Id. at 391. However, the ... order to produce as utilized in this [FOIA] action is in and of itself the end result of the action. The practical effect of the full force of that order is a granting of the full, complete and final relief available to a complainant under the [Freedom of Information] Act. Accordingly, we conclude that the ... order is a 'final decision[s] of the District Court[s]' within the range of Sec. 1291 and therefore appealable. Id. 13 Furthermore, in Warth v. Department of Justice, 595 F.2d 521 (9th Cir.1979), a FOIA case, this court noted without explanation that jurisdiction existed under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1291. Id. at 522. The appeal stemmed from the denial of a request under the FOIA for the transcript of a criminal trial. See also Church of Scientology v. United States Department of the Army, 611 F.2d 738, 741 (9th Cir.1979) (jurisdiction on appeal from denial of a FOIA request is based upon authority to review final order of district court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1291). 14 Steele and Kruger argue that even if an order compelling disclosure pursuant to the FOIA is normally a final decision appealable under Sec. 1291, the conditional nature of the order in this case renders it interlocutory and non-appealable. The district court's order permitted Steele and Kruger to review their factual statements ... prior to the commencement of the Grand Jury investigation and none other and to make notes in connection with these statements, such review to take place immediately prior to any scheduled appearance before the Grand Jury.... On its face, the order has a condition that may never occur. 4 We find it unnecessary, however, to decide whether the order is conditional and therefore interlocutory. Even if it is, this court still has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1292(a)(1). 15 Appellate jurisdiction exists if an order can be deemed an injunction appealable under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1292(a)(1), which allows appeals from [i]nterlocutory orders ... granting, continuing, modifying, refusing or dissolving injunctions.... Wren v. Sletten Const. Co., 654 F.2d 529, 532 (9th Cir.1981). In other words, the courts of appeals have jurisdiction of appeals from interlocutory orders of the district court granting injunctions, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1292(a)(1). Miller v. Bell, 661 F.2d 623, 625 (7th Cir.) (per curiam), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 960, 102 S.Ct. 2035, 72 L.Ed.2d 484 (1981). A disclosure order in a FOIA suit is injunctive in nature. Id. The order is granted pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(a)(4)(B), which confers jurisdiction upon the district court, to enjoin the agency from withholding agency records and to order the production of any agency records improperly held from the complainant. Id. (emphasis added) (quoting 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(a)(4)(B)). This vests the district court with all the powers of an equity court to issue injunctive relief from withholding of agency records. Renegotiation Board v. Bannercraft Clothing Co., Inc., 415 U.S. 1, 18, 94 S.Ct. 1028, 1037, 39 L.Ed.2d 123 (1974). 16 Thus, [a] judgment in an FOIA action is either a final judgment appealable under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1291 or an order either granting or denying an injunction appealable under 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1292(a)(1). 15 Federal Procedure, L.Ed., Freedom of Information Sec. 38:139.