see url: https://cryptome.org/2015/12/merrill-048-051.pdf
Interesting case, I hope he wins.
It is notable that there are very few lawyers, (a mere handful) in the
United States who have the ability, training, experience and political
nause to take on the government in such cases, and those who are, came
up through the ranks via Electronic Frontier Foundation or the American
Civil Liberties Union. Challenging the government on 1st amendment
cases which involved National Security, is a very specialised area
requiring special skills and not a lot of lawyers are willing to
participate in it.
For this reason, the government can serve NS Letters with almost
absolute impunity, as litigants have neither the expertise, the time or
the money to protect, or in establishing their civil rights and
liberties. Thousands of them have been served and the US government
appears to think that the gagging effect on those who are served with
them lasts forever. Merril, with the help of the EFF managed to pursue
his case in court and won a resounding victory against such attitudes.
He is now trying to claim legal expenses on behalf of all those people
who were directly involved in pursuing the case, not only lawyers, but
law students and paralegals and other volunteers interested in doing the
research and ground work.
Good luck to him and may such litigation flourish until such time as the
US government realises that they are deeply hurting the rights of their
citizens, and that, more and more in the future, it will become
increasingly expensive, and suffer a lot of face, when they overstep
the mark.
In my view, the lawyers who represented him deserve to be named, so that
others can become aware of their expertise.
They are:
Jonathan Manes, supervising attorney
David A. Schulz, supervising attorney
MEDIA FREEDOM AND INFORMATION
ACCESS CLINIC, YALE LAW SCHOOL
Enjoy... :-) .
ATB,
Dougie.
