Meaning, now the EFF can ask the National Security Administration for all sorts of information and documents pertaining to the case.



The EFF writes (emphasis ours):

"This marks the first time a party has been allowed to gather factual evidence from the NSA in a case involving the agency's warrantless surveillance. The government had fought all our requests to proceed with this lawsuit, arguing that the state secrets privilege protects it against both discovery and liability."

Like BoingBoing notes, the documents produced could answer pretty key questions about the government's domestic spying efforts. The EFF is understandably excited, writing that until now, the NSA has operated under a "cloak of secrecy" that's kept it out from under the judiciary microscope. "The EFF looks forward to finally getting to the nuts and bolts of this extremely important lawsuit," the group's David Greene writes. Fingers crossed that Greene and his colleagues don't just wind up with a stack of papers soaked in black Sharpie.