Opinion ID: 552329
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Federal Bureau of Investigation

Text: 49 Appellant sent his request to the FBI on August 21, 1985. The agency responded initially by letter dated September 6, 1985. See Letter to Carl Oglesby from James K. Hall (Sept. 6, 1985), reprinted in J.A. at 55. The initial response merely informed appellant that the FBI was processing the request. We need not determine whether this was an adequate and timely response under 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(a)(6)(A)(i) for constructive exhaustion purposes, because the FBI sent additional letters before appellant filed suit. These letters, dated October 3, 1985, October 29, 1985, January 15, 1986, and February 26, 1986, apprised appellant of the status of his request. See Letter to Carl Oglesby from James K. Hall (Oct. 3, 1985), reprinted in J.A. at 56; Letter to Carl Oglesby from James K. Hall (Oct. 29, 1985), reprinted in J.A. at 57; Letter to Carl Oglesby from James K. Hall (Jan. 15, 1986), reprinted in J.A. at 58; Letter to Carl Oglesby from Marvin E. Lewis (Feb. 26, 1986), reprinted in J.A. at 59-60. The last letter notified appellant of its final determination to release 15 pages of material and to withhold excerpts of that material under exemptions 1 and 7(C) of the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b)(1), 7(C), and notified appellant of his right to an administrative appeal. Appellant did not file suit until December 11, 1987, almost two years after this final determination was made. Because appellant did not administratively appeal his challenges to the agency, we find that he did not exhaust his administrative remedies. Judicial review of the FBI's determination, therefore, is precluded at this time.