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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.

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    Fourth Circuit considers reporter’s subpoena in CIA leak case
    The News Media & The Law
    May 1, 2012
    The U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. (4th Cir.) recently heard arguments in one of the most significant press freedom cases in recent years. The court will be called on to determine whether...
    Reporter's Privilege, 4th Cir.
    Silencing science
    The News Media & The Law
    May 1, 2012
    AP Photo by jeff genter Jami Cash, daughter of dead coal miner Michael Elswick, attends a memorial for the 29 coal miners who were killed in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine on April 2010...
    Freedom of Information
    Iowa state senator wins $231,000 in defamation suit over campaign ad
    News
    April 11, 2012
    An Iowa jury awarded a state senator $231,000 in a defamation suit last week, finding that his opponent and the local Democratic Party defamed him in a TV ad that ran during the 2010 senate race....
    Actual malice, Actual malice, Defamation, Defamation, Libel, Public figure, Iowa
    Former CIA operative John Kiriakou indicted by grand jury for leaking confidential information to journalists
    News
    April 9, 2012
    A federal grand jury handed down a five-count criminal indictment against former CIA intelligence officer John C. Kiriakou for allegedly disclosing confidential information to journalists on multiple...
    CIA, Confidentiality agreement, Confidentiality agreements, Grand jury, Newsgathering, U.S., Whistleblowers
    Vt. high court rules criminal investigation records remain exempt after investigation ends
    News
    April 3, 2012
    The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that records related to the investigation of a crime are exempt under the state’s Access to Public Records Act — with no time limit for when the exemption...
    Criminal investigation, Freedom of Information, Public records, Redaction, Vermont
    Judge denies blogger retrial in Oregon defamation case
    News
    April 3, 2012
    A federal judge denied a motion for retrial in the case of a self-described investigative blogger, ruling that private figure plaintiffs do not have to establish “negligence” or “...
    Actual malice, Bankruptcy, Bloggers, Defamation, Defamation, Libel, Limited purpose public figure, Limited-purpose public figure, Oregon
    Louisiana man arrested for criminal defamation of police chief can press wrongful arrest suit
    News
    March 23, 2012
    A U.S. District Court judge ruled that a civil lawsuit can continue against a Louisiana police chief and four officers accused of violating a former officer's constitutional rights. The court...
    ACLU, Criminal libel, Defamation, Libel, Police, Qualified immunity, Louisiana
    Judge rules records of 2010 mining explosion exempt
    News
    March 12, 2012
    A U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. ruled that some materials -- including attorney-client documents and identifying information about the miners -- related to a mine explosion in 2010 do not...
    Deliberative process privilege, Exemption 5, Exemption 7(A), Exemption 7(C), Freedom of Information, District of Columbia
    N.Y. has no defamation jurisdiction on out-of-state blog post
    News
    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...
    Defamation, Jurisdiction, Jurisdiction, Libel, New York
    No fly zone
    Guide
    Police, Protesters and the Press
    February 1, 2012
    Unjustified temporary flight restrictions ground journalists By Andrea Papagianis
    Newsgathering