EFF Wins Appeal for Access to Wiretap Application Records
upstart writes in with an IRC submission for nutherguy:
Victory! EFF Wins Appeal for Access to Wiretap Application Records:
Imagine learning that you were wiretapped by law enforcement, but couldn't get any information about why. That's what happened to retired California Highway Patrol officer Miguel Guerrero, and EFF sued on his behalf to get more information about the surveillance. This week, a California appeals court ruled in his case that people who are targets of wiretaps are entitled to inspect the wiretap materials, including the order application and intercepted communications, if a judge finds that such access would be in the interests of justice. This is a huge victory for transparency and accountability in California courts.
[...] When we first went to court, the judge ruled that targets of wiretaps can unseal the wiretap application and order only by proving "good cause" for disclosure. The court then found that neither Guerrero's desire to pursue a civil action nor the grossly disproportionate volume of wiretaps established good cause for disclosure, commenting that the number of wiretaps was "nothing more than routine." The court further rejected our argument that the public has a First Amendment right of access to the wiretap order and application.
We appealed, and the Court of Appeal agreed that the trial court erred. The appeals court made clear that, under California law, the target of a wiretap need not show good cause. Instead, the target of a wiretap need only demonstrate that disclosure of the wiretap order and application is "in the interest of justice"-which unlike the good cause standard, does not include any presumption of secrecy.
[...] The case now returns to the trial court, where the judge must apply the Court of Appeal's analysis. We hope Mr. Guerrero will finally get some answers.
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