FISC

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FISC is a specialized U.S. federal court that oversees and authorizes government requests for foreign intelligence surveillance, particularly in national security and counterterrorism cases.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal court
secret court
specialized court
abbreviation FISC
FISCR
appointmentMethod judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States
branch Judicial branch of the United States government
canImpose minimization procedures on surveillance
targeting procedures on surveillance
canReview government surveillance programs
caseType applications for business records under FISA
applications for electronic surveillance
applications for pen registers and trap-and-trace devices
applications for physical searches
applications related to Section 702 surveillance
composition federal district court judges
confidentialityLevel highly classified
country United States
createdInResponseTo concerns about unchecked national security surveillance
decisionPublicationPolicy most opinions and orders are classified
establishedBy Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978
establishedInYear 1978
focusArea counterterrorism
foreign intelligence surveillance
national security
fullName Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
handles classified proceedings
judgeReappointmentPolicy judges may not be reappointed after serving a full term
judgeTermLength 7 years
jurisdiction United States federal government
jurisdictionType ex parte proceedings
non-adversarial proceedings
legalBasis Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
legalBasisAbbreviation FISA
location Washington, D.C.
meetsAt E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse
numberOfJudges 11
overseenBy Chief Justice of the United States
oversightArea bulk collection of certain communications and metadata (historically)
electronic surveillance of foreign powers and agents of foreign powers
partOf United States federal judiciary
primaryFunction authorize certain data collection for foreign intelligence purposes
authorize electronic surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes
authorize physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes
oversee government applications for foreign intelligence surveillance
relatedTo Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act
Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act
USA PATRIOT Act
subjectToReviewBy Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review


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