It’s not the first court challenge related to search warrants for information on the protestors or the Disruptj20 website. Facebook, represented by Perkins Coie partner John Roche, also challenged a gag order form the government in July that barred the company from informing MacAuley, Carrefour and Talarico about the warrants. The government withdrew the gag order Sept. 13, the day before a hearing on the issue was set to be held in the D.C. Court of Appeals.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has also been in a battle over warrants with DreamHost, the web-hosting company for Disruptj20’s website. DreamHost, represented by Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton partner Ray Aghaian, went to court to block a warrant that sought, among other information, IP logs that would allow the government to see information about every website visitor. The government later modified the warrant, though Aghaian still said it raised constitutional concerns.
After a hearing in D.C. Superior Court last month, Chief Judge Robert Morin allowed the government to proceed with the modified warrant but with certain conditions that included close supervision by the court. DreamHost indicated it may appeal that order Sept. 5, though Morin heard competing proposals from Aghaian and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a Sept. 20 hearing on how to move forward with collecting the information.
