Main Street Legal Servs. v. National Security Council

Main Street filed suit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(B), seeking a judicial order compelling the NSC to produce requested records. The district court concluded that the NSC was not an agency and dismissed the case on the merits. On de novo review, the court construed the “agency” provision of the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 551(1), 552(f)(1), the “function” provisions of the NSC’s statute, 50 U.S.C. 3021(a), and the current presidential directive organizing the NSC System, among other available legal sources, and concluded that the NSC is not an agency subject to the FOIA. The court further construed the FOIA's agency requirement to relate to the court’s remedial power rather than to its subject‐matter jurisdiction and concluded that the district court properly granted dismissal for failure to state a claim, rather than for lack of jurisdiction. Finally, the court concluded that the district court acted within its discretion in granting dismissal without discovery. Accordingly, the court affirmed the judgment. View "Main Street Legal Servs. v. National Security Council" on Justia Law