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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.

Briefs & Comments

  • Amicus brief in LFP Publishing v. Toffoloni
    December 31, 2009

    Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to accept review of an 11th Cir. right-of-publicity case in which the court strictly defined and interpreted "newsworthiness."

  • Amicus brief in Amnesty v. Blair
    December 22, 2009

    Urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to find that plaintiffs including journalists who report internationally have standing to challenge the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, which permits warrantless wiretapping; furthermore, to hold that the Act is unconstitutional.

  • Amicus brief in Bloomberg L.P. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
    December 14, 2009

    Urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to narrowly construe the scope of FOIA Exemption 4 because the public interest in disclosure of the unprecedented financial bailout records outweighs any potential for competitive harm.

  • Amicus brief in Hammer v. Ashcroft
    November 25, 2009

    Asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review federal rules prohibiting in-person interviews with death row inmates and prohibiting them from discussing other inmates.

  • Comments on draft rule on Confidentiality of Juror Personal Information
    September 8, 2009

    Urging the Virginia Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on Rules of Court to reconsider a rule that would introduce sweeping secrecy into the jury system.

  • Amicus en banc in Rangra v Brown
    September 3, 2009

    Asking the full Fifth Circuit to uphold the Texas Open Meetings Act as constitutional.

  • Amicus brief in ACLU v. Dep't of Defense (U.S. Supreme Court)
    September 3, 2009

    Asking the Supreme Court to decline hearing the case on whether FOIA requires disclosure of images of alleged detainee abuse carried out by U.S. troops in Iraq in Afghanistan.

  • Amicus brief in Presley v. Georgia
    August 13, 2009

    Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision that allowed Georgia judges to bar the public from courtrooms during jury selection.

  • Amicus in Lorenzo v. City of Venice
    August 13, 2009

    Urging the Florida court to award attorney’s fees in an open records case.

  • Amicus brief in U.S. v. Stevens
    July 24, 2009

    Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down a federal statute that criminalizes possession, creation or sale of a wide variety of depictions involving animals.

  • Comments on proposed Wisconsin shield law
    July 24, 2009

    Urging the state legislature to adopt a shield law that protects reporters' rights to keep sources confidential.

  • Amicus brief in Citizens United v. F.E.C.
    July 24, 2009

    Arguing that campaign finance reform precedent must be clarified to recognize a First Amendment-based exemption for the news media, broadly defined to include anyone reporting information to the public.

  • Amicus brief in Sam v. Ossiginac
    July 15, 2009

    Urging the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Court of Appeals to vacate a prior restraint issued against journalist Nancy Kelsey in violation of the Tribal Constitution, the First Amendment, and the Indian Civil Rights Act.

  • Amicus brief in The Mortgage Specialists v. Implode-Explode Heavy Industries
    June 22, 2009

    Urging the New Hampshire Supreme Court to recognize a privilege protecting the identity of the confidential source of a news Web site.

  • RCFP Amicus Reply in ACLU v. DOD
    June 1, 2009

    Asking the Second Circuit to uphold its mandate that the government release the images at issue depicting detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison