Federal Courts and Civil Liberties

Judge Porter barred the Justice Department from using its filter team to search Washington Post reporter Natanson’s seized phone and laptop and ordered the court — not DOJ — to conduct an “appropriate” review to identify any classified material that must be protected. In a written opinion he said a government search of Natanson’s electronic work product would restrain First Amendment rights, faulted DOJ for failing to analyze the Privacy Protection Act in its warrant application, limited DOJ’s access to warrant‑authorized information, directed that unrelated sensitive source material and notes be returned, and noted the warrant arose from an FBI probe of Maryland systems engineer Aurelio Perez‑Lugones.