Muhammad Husayn v. Gates

District Court, District of Columbia·Decided January 9, 2009·No. Civil Action No. 2008-1360·Published

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

IN RE: Misc. No. 08-0442 (TFH)

GUANTANAMO BAY Civil Action Nos. DETAINEE LITIGATION 06-cv-1690, 08-cv-1207, 08-cv-1360, 08-cv-2083

ORDER

Upon further consideration, the Court

ORDERS that the following provisions of the Protective Order for Habeas Cases

Involving TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION and

Procedures for Counsel Access to Detainees at the United States Naval Base in Guantanamo

Bay, Cuba, in Habeas Cases Involving TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED

INFORMATION entered in the above-captioned cases on January 7, 2009, is AMENDED as

follows:

1. Section I.D.29 is amended to state:

29. Petitioners’ counsel shall not disclose the contents of any classified documents or information to any person, including counsel in related cases brought by Guantanamo Bay detainees in this or other courts, except those persons authorized by this TS/SCI Protective Order, the Court, and counsel for the government with the appropriate clearances and the need to know that information. Petitioners’ counsel may seek, on a case-by-case basis, authorization from appropriate officials to disclose classified information to appropriately cleared counsel in related cases brought by Guantanamo Bay detainees in this or other courts or to receive such information from them. Such authorization shall not be unreasonably withheld. If petitioners’ counsel believe authorization is being unreasonably withheld, counsel may seek this Court’s intervention.

2. Section I.F.47 is deleted. 3. Section I.F.48 is amended to state:

48. Filings by Petitioners. Any pleading or other document filed by petitioners shall be filed, along with three copies, under seal with the CSO by 4:00 p.m., unless the petitioner obtains from the CSO permission, specific to a particular, non-substantive pleading or document (e.g., motions for extensions of time, continuances, scheduling matters) not containing information that is or may be classified or protected, to file the pleading or document not under seal. Such pleading or document must be marked with the appropriate classification marking (e.g., “TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION”), if any. The time of physical submission to the CSO shall be considered the date and time of filing. At the time of making a submission to the CSO, petitioners’ counsel shall file on the public record in the CM/ECF system a “Notice of Filing,” notifying the Court that the submission was made to the CSO and specifying in general terms the nature of the filing without disclosing any potentially classified information.

a. Upon receipt, the CSO will deliver to the Court and government counsel any pleading or other document petitioners file. The CSO will forward the document to the appropriate government agencies and departments for their determination as to whether the pleading or other document contains classified information. To facilitate this review, petitioners’ counsel shall identify each paragraph of a document that counsel believe may contain classified information by marking each paragraph with an appropriate classification marking or otherwise specifically identifying such paragraphs. If, following review by the appropriate government agencies and departments, it is determined that the pleading or other document contains classified information, the CSO must ensure that the document is marked with the appropriate classification marking and that the document remains under seal. The CSO will work with the appropriate government agencies or departments to prepare a redacted version of the pleading or other document appropriate for filing on the public record. Counsel shall then file the redacted version of the document in the CM/ECF system with a notation in the upper right hand corner of the first page stating “REDACTED VERSION FOR PUBLIC FILING CLEARED BY CSO.” The docket entry description in the CM/ECF system for the document suitable for public viewing shall make specific reference to the earlier docket entry notifying the Court that the document was submitted to the CSO for review.

2 b. If it is determined that the entire pleading or other document is classified, petitioners’ counsel shall file notice in the CM/ECF system listing the caption of the case, a version of the title of the document that does not disclose classified or protected information, and a brief statement that the CSO informed counsel that the entire document is classified. The docket entry description in the CM/ECF system for the document suitable for public viewing shall make specific reference to the earlier docket entry notifying the Court that the document was submitted to the CSO for review.

c. If it is determined that the pleading or other document does not contain classified information, counsel shall file the full submission in the CM/ECF system consistent with the regular electronic filing practices of this Court, see LCvR 5.4, and make specific reference to the earlier docket entry notifying the Court that the document was submitted to the CSO for review. The docket entry description shall also state that the CSO approved public filing of the document. The underlying document filed in the CM/ECF system shall contain a notation in the upper right hand corner of the first page stating “PREVIOUSLY FILED WITH CSO AND CLEARED FOR PUBLIC FILING.”

d. If it is determined that the pleading or other document does not contain classified information but does contain protected information, counsel shall file the pleading or document in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section I.F.50 of this TS/SCI Protective Order.

4. Section I.F.50.a is amended to state:

50. Protected Information Filing by Petitioners and Respondents.

a. The presence, or potential presence, of protected information in any pleading or document that is governed by paragraph 48 or paragraph 49 of this TS/SCI Protective Order shall not affect the method of filing such pleading or document; it shall be governed by paragraph 48 or 49, as applicable. Any pleading or other document that does not contain classified information but that contains protected information shall be filed under seal pursuant to Local Civil Rule 5.1(j). Further, any pleading or other document that does not contain classified information but that petitioners’ counsel or respondents have reason to believe contains or petitioners’ counsel is uncertain whether it contains protected information shall be filed under seal pursuant to Local Civil Rule 5.1(j). At the time of the submission of a filing

3 containing protected but not classified information, the party shall file on the public record in the CM/ECF system a “Notice of Filing,” notifying the Court that a protected information submission was made and specifying in general terms the nature of the filing without disclosing any potentially protected information. As soon as practicable following the original filing date, counsel for the party submitting the protected information shall file in the CM/ECF system a version of the pleading or document appropriate for filing on the public record, consistent with the procedures outlined in paragraphs 48.a-d of this TS/SCI Protective Order.

Accordingly, the Court further

ORDERS that, in place of the Protective Order for Habeas Cases Involving TOP

SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION and Procedures for Counsel

Access to Detainees at the United States Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in Habeas

Cases Involving TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION entered

on January 7, 2009, the amended Protective Order for Habeas Cases Involving TOP

SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION and Procedures for Counsel

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Related

Transferred
50 U.S.C. § 421
Offenses
50 U.S.C. § 783