The News Media and The Law

Disclosure of gun permits leads to backlash on access

Federal FOIA Appeals Guide now online

The Reporters Committee introduces a comprehensive, online guide to appealing federal Freedom of Information Act requests to help journalists navigate the administrative process.

@rcfp

Ditto. Good work, all! RT @pressfreedom: @WSJPR @rcfp @ICFJ Thanks for the support!
IRE seeks nominations for inaugural government secrecy award http://t.co/3AYLiIQv6n #foia #opengov
RT @USEmbassyBern: Lucy Dalglish tells #MAZ students in Lucerne about the @rcfp on #pressfreedomday http://t.co/z7HIyez3If

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Reporters Committee urges appeals court to reaffirm judiciary's oversight of Executive Branch classification. (USAF photo via AP)
Hawaii shield law will expire after lawmakers unable to reconcile competing bills
05/03/2013
Just five years after passing its groundbreaking media shield law, Hawaii lawmakers have effectively killed any hopes of adopting a permanent version of the law, which is set to expire next month. Lawmakers in the House and Senate passed differing...
Newspaper's statements about school principal are opinion and not defamatory, N.Y. judge rules
05/01/2013
Articles published by the New York Daily News calling a former school principal a “firebrand” and a “principal of hate” are not defamatory because the statements are opinions, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled last week....
Government business on private email must be public, Reporters Committee argues
05/01/2013
Government officials should not be allowed to conceal their public activities by utilizing private email and texting accounts, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press argued in a letter brief joined by national and state media organizations...
Oakland mayoral candidate loses appeal of unsuccessful defamation suit against weekly newspaper
04/30/2013
A three-judge California appeals court panel has denied an Oakland mayoral candidate’s appeal of a lower court’s decision to toss out her libel suit against a weekly newspaper concerning coverage of her campaign. Marcie Hodge, a local...
Supreme Court: States can prohibit non-residents from using public records laws to gather information
04/29/2013
States do not violate the U.S. Constitution when their public records laws prevent out-of-state residents from accessing government records, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled on Monday.

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The Place to Start

The Digital Journalist's Legal Guide has the answers and links to Reporters Committee resources for all your questions about the legal issues involved in gathering and disseminating news.

FOIA Services

Find everything you need to file a public record request, including the Reporters Committtee Automatic FOIA Letter Generator, our federal and state Open Government Guides, and our Federal FOIA Appeals Guide.

 

 

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To protect the right to gather and distribute news; to keep government accountable by ensuring access to public records, meetings and courtrooms; and to preserve the principles of free speech and unfettered press, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.