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Digital Journalist's Legal Guide
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Everything online journalists need to protect their legal rights. This free resource culls from all Reporters Committee resources and includes exclusive content on digital media law issues.

News

Format: 2012-02-22
Format: 2012-02-22
Proposed Fla. bill shields legislators from civil court
February 21, 2012
A bill making its way through the Florida House of Representatives would give state legislators total immunity against providing testimony or producing records in civil court proceedings, which would include open records lawsuits, according to First Amendment advocates.
Ark. high court rules use-of-force reports are public records
February 17, 2012
The Arkansas Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision yesterday confirming that police officers' self-prepared reports – detailing instances where force was used – are subject to public release under the state's Freedom of Information Act.
Wall Street Journal reporter protected by N.Y. shield law
February 16, 2012
A former reporter for The Wall Street Journal is protected from testifying in a lawsuit between the financial firm Goldman Sachs and a former client, the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York City (2nd Cir.) ruled yesterday.
Conn. high court rules university can withhold trade secrets
February 16, 2012
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in University of Connecticut v. Freedom of Information Commission that a public entity could invoke the trade secret exemption in the state freedom of information act to shield its own records from being released. Typically, such trade secret exemptions are invoked to protect against the disclosure of private sector trade secret information in the possession of the government.
Colo. senate committee votes to repeal criminal libel law
February 15, 2012
Colorado's state judiciary committee took the first step this week in repealing a decades-old statute that criminalizes libel. The bill passed with a 6-0 vote -- with one voting member absent -- on Tuesday, and is expected to go before the full Senate later this week. “If you say civil libel law has a chilling effect, a criminal libel law might have a freezing effect,” said David Hudson, a scholar at the First Amendment Center and adjunct law professor at Vanderbilt University.
Judge dismisses libel suit against Virginia television station
February 14, 2012
A federal judge dismissed a $5 million libel lawsuit by a former tax preparer against a Virginia television station that allegedly referred to him as “unscrupulous.”
D.C. journalist arrested, charged with assaulting officer
February 14, 2012
A Washington Times reporter was arrested while covering the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. and said she was struck by police, but declined to disclose whether she will file a formal complaint.
Photographer wins appeal over access to horse roundup
February 14, 2012
A trial court erred when it did not weigh the First Amendment rights of a photojournalist trying to photograph a roundup of wild horses against the government’s interest in restricting her access and newsgathering rights, a federal appeals court ruled today.
N.Y. has no defamation jurisdiction on out-of-state blog post
February 14, 2012
New York courts do not have jurisdiction to hear a lawsuit over allegedly defamatory online statements about a rescue group's treatment of dogs that were written in Vermont by another dog welfare group, the New York Court of Appeals ruled last week.
Sex crime court records now public in Louisiana parish
February 10, 2012
Court records in a Louisiana parish relating to sex crimes are now open to the public, after years of being under blanket seal. Previously, no criminal court records involving allegations of sexual assault or abuse were available to the public, per oral order of the judges in the 27th judicial district, said Charles Jagneaux, St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court. This secrecy was problematic for public safety and awareness reasons, Jagneaux said.
Names of police in Long Beach shootings subject to release
February 10, 2012
The names of city of Long Beach police officers involved in shootings are subject to disclosure under the California Open Records Act, a California appeals court ruled this week. The Second Appellate Court District upheld a lower court's finding that the release of the names of Long Beach police officers who were involved in shootings was not an invasion of privacy and the names were not protected as part of personnel or investigative files under the law.
Bill to reform Illinois eavesdropping law moves forward
February 10, 2012
An Illinois bill that would decriminalize the audio-recording of police officers engaging in their official duties in public is moving forward to the full state House of Representatives.
Judge orders release of misconduct report in Stevens trial
February 9, 2012
An investigative report about alleged prosecutorial misconduct in the corruption case against the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens will be released after a Washington, D.C., federal judge yesterday found that the public's right of access overcame several of the lawyers’ claims that disclosure of the document would damage their reputations.
Judge denies request to make gas drilling settlement public
February 8, 2012
A Pennsylvania judge denied a request by two Pittsburgh-area newspapers to make public documents relating to a settlement between several gas drilling corporations and a local family, stating that the newspapers failed to petition before the documents were sealed.
Georgia high court rules city council must record votes
February 7, 2012
The Georgia Supreme Court ruled yesterday that state public bodies must record in public meeting minutes the names of those members who voted against or abstained from voting on a measure, even where the vote is not taken by a roll call.