Reading Room Document

Security Issues Under Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

Authored a few months after the passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), this memo summarized issues concerning the security procedures under FISA and attempted to convey the position of the intelligence community with respect to the functioning of the to-be-constituted foreign intelligence surveillance courts. It included discussion of the location of the court overseeing surveillance, whether court personnel should be part of the executive branch, the use of law clerks, security clearances for judges and judicial branch court personnel, and security and storage of court records.

December 14, 1978