Gawker Media, LLC v. FBI, No. 15-1202, 2015 WL 4064971 (M.D. Fla. July 1, 2015) (Bucklew, J.)

Gawker Media, LLC v. FBI, No. 15-1202, 2015 WL 4064971 (M.D. Fla. July 1, 2015) (Bucklew, J.)

Re: Plaintiff's motion to intervene in suit regarding request for records concerning FBI investigation

Disposition:  Granting intervenor's motion to intervene; denying intervenor's motion for protective order

• Litigation Considerations:  "[T]he Court grants [intervenor's] motion to intervene so that [intervenor] may file and the Court may consider the motion for protective order."  The court relates that "[intervenor] has filed a motion to intervene under Rule 24 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in order to 'file motions to protect the confidentiality of records being produced in this action.'"  The court notes that "[intervenor] asserts that his privacy interests are personal to him and cannot be adequately represented by the existing parties to this lawsuit."  "The Court agrees with [intervenor] that he meets the requirements for intervention."  "The subject matter of this lawsuit is a FOIA request for documents for use in the state court case in which [intervenor] is the plaintiff."  "[Intervenor's] interests in this matter are personal to him and he cannot rely on the existing parties to this case to protect those interests."
   
• Litigation Considerations, Relief:  "[The] Court declines to enter an order directing the parties to comply with the protective order that is in effect in the state court litigation."  The court explains that "[the] Court is not in the business of entering orders directing parties to comply with the order of a state court judge in a state court case."  "[The] Court is concerned with Plaintiffs' FOIA requests to the FBI and EOUSA and ensuring that the agencies fulfill their obligations under FOIA."  "If [intervenor] desires an order requiring [plaintiffs] to comply with the state court protective order, he should bring that matter to the attention of the state court judge."