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• n  a secret federal court created in 1978 by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; responsible for authorizing wiretaps and other forms of electronic surveillance and for authorizing searches of suspected spies and terrorists by the Department of Justice or United States intelligence agencies

• Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
• F.I.S.C.

News & Articles

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• In Which a Secret Intelligence Court Fights Back Against More Secrecy
  The secret court at the center of the National Security Agency surveillance debate has a bit of a reputation. It's supposed to act as a check on the executive, making sure it doesn't overstep its bounds when eavesdropping on terrorism suspects. In reality, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court hardly ever says no to a request. Critics have called the court a "rubber stamp" that obeys the ...
  June 12, 2013 - National Journal via Yahoo! News
• Lawmakers Seek Declassification of Secret Spy Court Rulings
  A bi-partisan group of senators proposed legislation today that seeks to declassify certain rulings from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, after a leak revealed that the secretive court has been ordering phone companies to turn over calling records on millions of customers.
  June 12, 2013 - Wired News
• Senators, Google push for transparency at surveillance court
  A bipartisan group of eight U.S. senators has introduced legislation that would require the nation's attorney general to declassify opinions issued by the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in an effort to shed light on the government surveillance programs the surveillance court approves.        
  June 12, 2013 - TechWorld