Case 1:15-mc-01902-MKB-JO Document 37 Filed 03/24/16 Page 1 of 9 PageID #: 833 1900 M Street, NW, Ste. 250, Washington, D.C. 20036 marc@zwillgen.com   Marc J. Zwillinger (202) 706-5202 (phone) (202) 706-5298 (fax) March 24, 2016 VIA ELECTRONIC FILING The Honorable Margo K. Brodie United States District Judge United States District Court Eastern District of New York 225 Cadman Plaza East Brooklyn, NY 11201 Re: In re Order Requiring Apple Inc. to Assist in the Execution of a Search Warrant Issued by the Court, No. 14 Cr. 387 (MKB); No. 15 MC 1902 (JO) Dear Judge Brodie: We represent Apple Inc. in the above-referenced matter. We write to respectfully request that the Court stay the current briefing schedule until at least 10 days after the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) submits its status report in In the Matter of the Search of an Apple iPhone Seized During the Execution of a Search Warrant on a Black Lexus IS300, California License Plate 35KGD203, No. 5:16-cm-00010 (C.D. Cal.) (the “San Bernardino Matter”), to allow the parties to review that status report and advise the Court on how it may affect this matter. Apple conferred with the government about its request to modify the briefing schedule. The government indicated that it did not oppose a fourteen day extension of Apple’s deadline to respond to the government’s application for an All Writs Act order, but did not want to join in Apple’s rationale for such request. The government further indicated that after Apple filed its letter, the government would review and consider how to respond. Apple and the DOJ are presently litigating related legal issues in the San Bernardino Matter. An evidentiary hearing and argument on Apple’s motion to vacate an order compelling assistance under the All Writs Act was scheduled in that matter for March 22, 2016. On the afternoon of March 21, 2016, the DOJ submitted an application to continue that hearing. See San Bernardino Matter, ECF No. 191 (attached as Exhibit A). In its application, the DOJ revealed that “an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possible method for unlocking” the subject iPhone, but that “testing [was] required to determine whether it is a viable method that will not compromise data” on the phone. Id. The DOJ acknowledged that “[i]f the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for assistance from [Apple] set forth in the All Writs Act Order in this case.” Id. The DOJ asked to further update the court via status report on April 5, 2016. Id. The court granted the application the Case 1:15-mc-01902-MKB-JO Document 37 Filed 03/24/16 Page 2 of 9 PageID #: 834     same day, vacating the March 22 hearing and ordering the DOJ to submit a status report on April 5. See San Bernardino Matter, ECF No. 199 (attached as Exhibit B). As in the San Bernardino Matter, the DOJ argues in this case that an All Writs Act order is appropriate because Apple’s assistance is necessary to effectuate the search warrant issued by the Court. See, e.g., ECF No. 30 at 3 (“[T]he government cannot access the contents of the phone and execute the warrant without Apple’s assistance.”); see also id. at 41 (“The government does not have any adequate alternatives to obtaining Apple’s assistance.”). This is a disputed issue. Judge Orenstein concluded in his opinion that that the government “failed to establish that the help it seeks from Apple is necessary” as required by New York Telephone. ECF No. 29 at 48. Apple expects to similarly contest the necessity requirement in connection with the DOJ’s application to this Court. The iPhone in this case runs an older operating system (iOS 7) than the iPhone in the San Bernardino Matter (iOS 9). Regardless of what the DOJ concludes regarding whether the method being evaluated in San Bernardino works on the iPhone here, it will affect how this case proceeds. For example, if that same method can be used to unlock the iPhone in this case, it would eliminate the need for Apple’s assistance. On the other hand, if the DOJ claims that the method will not work on the iPhone here, Apple will seek to test that claim, as well as any claims by the government that other methods cannot be used.1 The outcome of the DOJ’s evaluation will not be known until April 5, when the DOJ submits its status report in the San Bernardino Matter. In the interim, both the Court and the parties lack sufficient information to determine the most appropriate way for this matter to proceed. Going forward without such information would be highly inefficient. Briefly staying the briefing schedule to allow these matters to crystalize is appropriate in light of the public importance of this issue. Moreover, the government’s application has been pending since October of last year, and, as the Court is aware, the criminal defendant whose phone the renewed application relates to has already pled guilty. Accordingly Apple respectfully requests that the Court stay the current March 31, 2016 due date for Apple’s response to the DOJ’s application until after the DOJ files its status report in the San Bernardino Matter on April 5, 2016. Apple further requests that the parties be required to submit a status report (either jointly or with each side presenting its own position on how to proceed) no later than April 11, 2016.                                                                 In the San Bernardino Matter, the DOJ submitted in support of its Opposition to Apple’s Motion to Vacate, the declaration of Stacey Perino, Technical Director of the FBI’s Cryptologic and Electronic Analysis Unit. See San Bernardino Matter, ECF No. 149-3. In that declaration, Mr. Perino identified a variety of methods and tools that he claimed could bypass security mechanisms on certain Apple devices. See id. at ¶¶ 25-28. It is unclear whether the government analyzed any of the methods or tools identified by Mr. Perino.   1 2    Case 1:15-mc-01902-MKB-JO Document 37 Filed 03/24/16 Page 3 of 9 PageID #: 835     We thank the Court for its consideration and can be available at the Court’s convenience to address any questions or concerns. Respectfully submitted, /s/ Marc J. Zwillinger Marc J. Zwillinger (admitted pro hac vice) Jeffrey G. Landis (admitted pro hac vice) ZWILLGEN PLLC 1900 M Street, NW, Ste. 250, Washington, D.C. 20036 Telephone: (202) 706-5202 Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr. (admitted pro hac vice) GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP 333 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90071-3197 Telephone: (213) 229-7000 Alexander H. Southwell Mylan L. Denerstein GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP 200 Park Avenue, 48th Floor New York, New York 10166-0193 Telephone: (212) 351-4000 Attorneys for Interested Party Apple, Inc. cc: All Counsel of Record (via ECF) 3    Case Document 37 Filed 03/24/16 Page 4 of 9 PageID 836 Exhibit A Case Case1:15-mc-01902-MKB-JO 5:16-cm-00010-SP Document Document 191 37 Filed Filed 03/21/16 03/24/16 Page Page 1 of53of Page 9 PageID ID #:3101 #: 837 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 EILEEN M. DECKER United States Attorney PATRICIA A. DONAHUE Assistant United States Attorney Chief, National Security Division TRACY L. WILKISON (California Bar No. 184948) Chief, Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section Assistant United States Attorney 1500 United States Courthouse 312 North Spring Street Los Angeles, California 90012 Telephone: (213) 894-2400 Facsimile: (213) 894-8601 Email: Tracy.Wilkison@usdoj.gov Attorneys for Applicant UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 10 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 11 FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 12 13 14 15 IN THE MATTER OF THE SEARCH OF AN APPLE IPHONE SEIZED DURING THE EXECUTION OF A SEARCH WARRANT ON A BLACK LEXUS IS300, CALIFORNIA LICENSE PLATE #5KGD203 ED No. CM 16-10 (SP) GOVERNMENT’S EX PARTE APPLICATION FOR A CONTINUANCE Current Hearing Date: Current Hearing Time: Location: 16 17 March 22, 2016 1:00 p.m. Courtroom of the Hon. Sheri Pym 18 19 Applicant United States of America, by and through its counsel of record, the 20 United States Attorney for the Central District of California, hereby files this Ex Parte 21 Application for a Continuance, requesting that the hearing currently set for March 22, 22 2016 be vacated and that the government file a status report by April 5, 2016. 23 24 25 26 27 28 This Application is based upon the attached memorandum of points and /// Case Case1:15-mc-01902-MKB-JO 5:16-cm-00010-SP Document Document 191 37 Filed Filed 03/21/16 03/24/16 Page Page 2 of63of Page 9 PageID ID #:3102 #: 838 1 authorities, the files and records in this case, and such further evidence and argument as 2 this Court may permit. 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dated: March 21, 2016 Respectfully submitted, EILEEN M. DECKER United States Attorney PATRICIA A. DONAHUE Assistant United States Attorney Chief, National Security Division 9 10 11 12 TRACY L. WILKISON Assistant United States Attorney Attorneys for Applicant UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 2 Case Case1:15-mc-01902-MKB-JO 5:16-cm-00010-SP Document Document 191 37 Filed Filed 03/21/16 03/24/16 Page Page 3 of73of Page 9 PageID ID #:3103 #: 839 1 2 MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES Since the attacks in San Bernardino on December 2, 2015, the Federal Bureau of 3 Investigation (“FBI”) has continued to pursue all avenues available to discover all 4 relevant evidence related to the attacks. 5 Specifically, since recovering Farook’s iPhone on December 3, 2015, the FBI has 6 continued to research methods to gain access to the data stored on it. The FBI did not 7 cease its efforts after this litigation began. As the FBI continued to conduct its own 8 research, and as a result of the worldwide publicity and attention on this case, others 9 outside the U.S. government have continued to contact the U.S. government offering 10 avenues of possible research. 11 On Sunday, March 20, 2016, an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possible 12 method for unlocking Farook’s iPhone. Testing is required to determine whether it is a 13 viable method that will not compromise data on Farook’s iPhone. If the method is 14 viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc. (“Apple”) set forth 15 in the All Writs Act Order in this case. 16 Accordingly, to provide time for testing the method, the government hereby 17 requests that the hearing set for March 22, 2016 be vacated. The government proposes 18 filing a status report with the Court by April 5, 2016. 19 On March 21, 2016, at approximately 2:45 p.m., the United States Attorney 20 contacted counsel for Apple to request Apple’s position on this ex parte Application, and 21 counsel for Apple requested a telephonic status conference with the Court. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Case Document 37 Filed 03/24/16 Page 8 of 9 PageID 840 Exhibit Case Case1:15-mc-01902-MKB-JO 5:16-cm-00010-SP Document Document 199 37 Filed Filed 03/21/16 03/24/16 Page Page 1 of91of Page 9 PageID ID #:3140 #: 841 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL MINUTES - GENERAL Case No. ED CM 16-00010-SP Title In the Matter of the Search of an Apple iPhone Seized During the Execution of a Search Warrant on a Black Lexus IS300, California License Plate 35KGD203 Present: The Honorable Date SHERI PYM, United States Magistrate Judge Vangelina Pina, Adele Frazier Deputy Clerk Court Reporter / Recorder Attorneys Present for Applicant: Tracy Wilkison, AUSA, Patti Donahue, AUSA Proceedings: March 21, 2016 Attorneys Present for Respondent: Theodore Boutrous Nicola Hanna Eric Vandevelde Marc Zwillinger Bruce Sewell (General Counsel) Noreen Krall (Telephonic Conference) Order Granting Government’s Ex Parte Application to Vacate Hearing set for March 22, 2016 [191] A Conference Call in this matter was held on March 21, 2016. Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Wilkison and Patti Donahue appeared on behalf of the government. Theodore Boutrous, Nicola Hanna, Eric Vandevelde, Marc Zwillinger, Bruce Sewell (General Counsel), and Noreen Krall appeared on behalf of respondent, Apple Inc. The court and counsel conferred regarding the government’s Ex Parte Application for a Continuance (docket no. 191). Based on the good cause shown in that application, and based on Apple’s nonobjection to vacating the hearing, the court ORDERS: 1. The hearing in this matter set for March 22, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. is VACATED; 2. As there is presently uncertainty surrounding the government’s need for Apples’s assistance, the court’s February 16, 2016 Order Compelling Apple, Inc. to Assist Agents in Search, in case number ED 15-451-M, is hereby stayed, pending further submissions in this case; and 3. The government is ordered to file a status report by April 5, 2016. .15 min. Initials of Deputy Clerk: VP CV-90 (10/08) CIVIL MINUTES - GENERAL Page 1 of 1