Opinion ID: 1188885
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: BACKGROUND The Plaintiffs' Public Allegations

Text: By declaration, the plaintiffs' counsel states that he regularly represents employees and former employees of the CIA, and, in that capacity, has a secrecy agreement with the CIA. Decl. of Mark S. Zaid, June 18, 2006, ¶ 3. That agreement permits him limited access to some of the classified information known to his clients, but requires him to submit all [contemplated] substantive ... court filings to the CIA [before filing] so that it may conduct a classification review of the information therein. Id. Plaintiff Jane Doe also has signed various non-disclosure agreements. Pursuant to the plaintiffs' counsel's agreement, the complaint was redacted to delete references to information the CIA considered to be classified and was filed in redacted form in the public files of the district court. The redactions obscure much of the substance of the plaintiffs' allegations. For purposes of this appeal, we rely on the district court's description of the redacted complaint in its publicly filed memorandum opinion and order granting the government's motions. Doe v. Cent. Intelligence Agency, No. 05 Civ. 7939(LTS)(FM), 2007 WL 30099, at , 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 201, at - (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 4, 2007). Plaintiff Jane Doe is the wife of a former employee of the CIA who remains in covert status. The other three plaintiffs are the minor children of Jane Doe and her husband. The Complaint alleges that Jane Doe's husband was summarily separated from his CIA employment, for a reason that is redacted as classified, and terminated immediately for unspecified reasons. Plaintiffs departed for Foreign Country A, where they currently reside because the CIA has refused to provide any assistance, medical or otherwise. The Complaint alleges that Plaintiffs are unable to leave Foreign Country A and that Plaintiff Jane Doe is a virtual prisoner in her home. She is constantly fearful of eventual detection, for a reason that is redacted as classified. Although Plaintiff Jane Doe allegedly receives medical treatment and psychological counseling, she claims that the CIA has demanded that she not disclose the basis for her apprehension to her medical professionals, while simultaneously refusing to provide her alternative treatment. Plaintiff Jane Doe alleges that she suffers severe emotional distress producing physical symptoms from fear, and lives in constant fear; the reason for her alleged fear is redacted as classified. Id. (citations omitted). The plaintiffs' redacted complaint asserts claims for damages and for injunctive and declaratory relief pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. § 701 et seq., the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a et seq., specified federal constitutional provisions, and unspecified New York state laws pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), 28 U.S.C. § 2671 et seq. [2]