Digital Journalist's Legal Guide

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.

Briefs & Comments

Complaint in American Historical Association v. National Archives and Records Admin.

November 28, 2001

Access and journalism groups sued the National Archives over its refusal to release presidential records because of a Bush executive order.
Letter to Bush Administration and Congressional leaders regarding war coverage

October 17, 2001

The Reporters Committee urged officials to ensure that the public gets adequate information about anti-terrorism efforts.
Letter to the Attorney General about Vanessa Leggett

September 5, 2001

The Reporters Committee asked Ashcroft to withdraw the subpoena against the author, allowing her incarceration -- the longest ever for a journalist on contempt charges -- to end.
Letter to U.S. Attorney General protesting subpoena of AP reporter's phone records

August 28, 2001

The Justice Department received the home phone records of a reporter in an attempt to find his source of information about a federal wiretap.
Amicus brief in Owasso Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Falvo

August 23, 2001

Urging the Supreme Court to limit Section 1983 claims over alleged privacy interests
Amicus brief in In Re: Grand Jury Subpoena to Vanessa Leggett

July 31, 2001

Brief in support of a journalist jailed in Texas for refusing to disclose confidential source material.
Amicus brief in Organization for Competitive Markets v. Seaboard Farms, Inc.

June 1, 2001

Brief urging U.S. Supreme Court to hear case arguing for right of public to intervene in cases for purpose of challenging a secrecy order.
Amicus brief in SEG v. Stillman (Cal. Super. Ct., L.A.)

May 7, 2001

Arguing that a deposition given in the "Survivor" libel/contract suit and filed with the court not be sealed.
Al-Fayed v. Central Intelligence Agency

March 16, 2001

Asking the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, to carefully consider the standard of review for denial of expedited processing of FOIA requests.
Protest letter to the U.S. Secret Service

February 15, 2001

The Reporters Committee objected to the interrogation of a journalist by Secret Service agents over a satirical editorial asking Jesus to 'smite' the President.
Privacy and Public Access to Electronic Case Files

January 26, 2001

Comments to the federal judiciary on proposed policies limiting electronic access to court material
Amicus brief in Ivey v. Alabama

January 16, 2001

Arguing that an Alabama court should rule that an outdated criminal libel statute is unconstitutional.
Amicus brief in Dept. of the Interior v. Klamath Water Users Protective Association

December 13, 2000

Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hold that comments filed by an Indian tribe with the federal government are not exempt from disclosure.
Amicus brief in Connell v. Kersey

December 11, 2000

Urging the Virginia Supreme Court to overturn a judge's determination that "constitutional officers," including Commonwealth's Attorneys, are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Comments on a Maryland proposal to limit electronic access to criminal history information

December 1, 2000

The Reporters Committee argued that the extensive limitations on access would greatly harm the public interest.

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Briefs & Comments

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