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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: 2013-05-07
Format: 2013-05-07
New York court finds scientific hypotheses are not libelous
May 25, 2012
A federal court in Buffalo said last week that peer-reviewed journals, not courtrooms, are the proper place to vet scientific disputes. A libel claim brought by ONY, Inc., against the Journal of Perinatology for a negative study of an ONY pharmaceutical product was dismissed.
Va. court avoids ruling on access to sealed records in child murder case
May 25, 2012
A Virginia appellate court avoided deciding if a newspaper had a right of access to trial exhibits in a child murder case, despite a dissenting judge’s opinion that a procedural issue should not have barred a ruling that sealing the records violated the media’s First Amendment rights.
FCC fines broadcast company for violating telephone broadcast rule, despite conversation not being aired
May 25, 2012
A Maryland radio station and its parent company was fined $2,000 by the Federal Communications Commission for recording the beginning of a telephone conversation without getting prior permission, even though the recording was never broadcast.
Federal appeals court dismisses Chicago Tribune's open records suit against Univ. of Ill.
May 24, 2012
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago (7th Cir.) today ordered the dismissal of an open records-related lawsuit filed by the Chicago Tribune against the University of Illinois, ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
Anti-terrorism law infringes First Amendment rights, court finds
May 23, 2012
A federal judge in New York recently halted enforcement of a controversial section of an anti-terrorism bill that the court found harms First Amendment rights. Plaintiffs to the case included noted activists, journalists and a member of Icelandic parliament who argued the law had a chilling effect.
N.H. high court rules fire marshal may withhold records under law enforcement exemption
May 23, 2012
The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the state fire marshal may withhold certain records from a fire investigation under a judicially-created exemption from the Right-to-Know Law for records "compiled for law enforcement purposes." The opinion addressed the proper interpretation of this phrase, which the court noted was a matter of first impression.
Federal appeals court rules government may withhold CIA interrogation, waterboarding records
May 22, 2012
A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that the government may withhold certain records relating to the Central Intelligence Agency’s use of enhanced interrogation techniques – including waterboarding – from public disclosure under the federal Freedom of Information Act.
Federal court finds Bloomberg's publication of copyrighted conference call recording to be fair use
May 22, 2012
A federal court last week rejected a copyright infringement lawsuit against Bloomberg L.P. for its unauthorized publication of a conference call between a corporation's senior executives and a group of securities analysts, finding that the business and financial news publisher was protected from liability by the fair use doctrine.
Federal judge denies request to make government report on PATRIOT Act public
May 21, 2012
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI may keep classified a report to Congress about foreign intelligence gathering under the PATRIOT Act.
Photographer covering NATO summit protests arrested; another allegedly injured by police and five journalists reportedly detained
May 21, 2012
One photographer was arrested Sunday night while covering the protests outside the NATO summit in Chicago. Another photographer was reportedly hit by police with a baton and five journalists were allegedly detained, but released on the spot.
Student photojournalist acquitted in one of the first Occupy Wall Street trials
May 18, 2012
In one of the first Occupy Wall Street cases to proceed to trial, a New York University student journalist charged with disorderly conduct was acquitted on Wednesday after video proved he did not commit any violation while covering a protest in January. While photographing the march in downtown Manhattan on Jan. 1, Alexander Arbuckle was one of many arrested for disorderly conduct for allegedly standing in the streets and blocking traffic after multiple police warnings to stay out of the roads.
Fla. appeals court awards attorney's fees for county's undue delay in complying with records request
May 18, 2012
A Florida appeals court ruled today that a county could not avoid paying attorney's fees to a successful records requester who sued for access merely by demonstrating that it did not delay in contacting her to acknowledge her request. The Fifth District Court of Appeal in Florida awarded Susan Hewlings attorney's fees after she successfully petitioned a lower court to order Orange County, Fla., to release records pertaining to a dangerous dog investigation of her pet.
Federal appellate court hears arguments in reporter's privilege case
May 18, 2012
A federal appellate court heard arguments today in a case that may potentially be one of the most significant rulings on a reporter's privilege to refuse to disclose the identity of confidential sources and other information obtained during the newsgathering process.
New Jersey Supreme Court limits libel damages, distinguishes online speech
May 17, 2012
The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a defamation suit over online accusations of child sexual abuse could still proceed, even though the plaintiff could not show he was harmed. The decision upheld a 2010 appeals court ruling that New Jersey First Amendment attorneys hoped would lead to a change in the law by the state's Supreme Court.
Dept. of Justice defends public's right to record police activity
May 17, 2012
In a battle between the public's First Amendment rights and law enforcement's application of policy, the public recently found an unlikely ally in the U.S. Department of Justice when it submitted a letter to the Baltimore Police Department supporting a citizen's right to record police activity.