Opinion ID: 201474
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Informant's Privilege

Text: 44 Since this case is a diversity suit involving only state-law claims, TRPB's claim that the documents here are protected by an evidentiary privilege is governed by state law under Fed.R.Evid. 501. 6 See 8 Charles Alan Wright et al., Federal Practice and Procedure § 2016, at 224 (2d. ed.1994). The parties disagree over whether the privilege law of Florida or New Hampshire should govern the existence and scope of the privilege. Like the district court, we conclude that New Hampshire and Florida law are so similar on this point that there is no need to make a choice. 45 Both New Hampshire and Florida allow a government entity to assert a privilege not to disclose the identities of informers who provided information relating to violations of the law. See N.H. R. Evid. 509; Foster v. State, 816 So.2d 1177, 1178-79 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App.2002); see also Roviaro v. United States, 353 U.S. 53, 59-60, 77 S.Ct. 623, 1 L.Ed.2d 639 (1957) (recognizing privilege under federal law). The privilege is applicable in both criminal and civil proceedings. See N.H. R. Evid. 509; In re Forfeiture of 1985 Dodge No. JB3BA24KOFU124494, 529 So.2d 767(Fla.Dist.Ct.App.1988). Usually, the privilege is limited to government officials. See generally Edward J. Imwinkelried, The New Wigmore: A Treatise on Evidence § 7.3.1, at 1051 (2002); 8 Wigmore on Evidence § 2374 (McNaughton Rev.1961 & Supp.2004). Neither New Hampshire nor Florida has ruled on whether a private entity in the position of TRPB may assert the privilege. 7 46 We note that the private/public investigative agency distinction is not perfect. It appears from the record that TRPB shared its investigation with the appropriate state investigative agency and that agency relied on the information in its investigation. It seems clear that if the tipsters had gone directly to the state agency, rather than through the private watch dog group first, the informant's privilege would apply. 47 In fact, Florida law explicitly provides that FDPMW may keep secret from the public active criminal intelligence or criminal investigative information ... and any other information that, if disclosed, would jeopardize the safety of an individual. Fla. Stat. § 550.0251(9). Criminal investigative information includes information derived from laboratory tests, reports of investigators or informants, or any type of surveillance during the course of a criminal investigation. Id. § 119.011 (emphasis added). 48 Neither Florida nor New Hampshire has to date addressed the question we face: application of the informant's privilege to an industry self-regulatory investigative agency which cooperates with a state investigative agency. As such, appellants have failed to show that the documents are covered by the formal informant's privilege under state law. A federal court sitting in diversity cannot be expected to create new doctrines expanding state law. See A. Johnson & Co. v. Aetna Cas. and Sur. Co., 933 F.2d 66, 73 n. 10 (1st Cir.1991). But the Rule 26 inquiry does not end there. That there is no informant's privilege does not mean there are no interests of the public or other persons involved in the balance. 49