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.
In Georgia, the press and public’s constitutional right of access to judicial records and proceedings is codified in the U.S.C.R, which applies to the state and superior courts. U.S.C.R. 21 and 22 are also repeated in the uniform rules of Georgia’s other trial courts. See, e.g., Uniform Magistrate Court Rule 11; Uniform Probate Court Rule 18; Uniform Juvenile Court Rule 26. U.S.C.R.
The public's right of access is set forth in N.C.G.S. 7A-109(a), "which specifically grants the public the right to inspect court records in civil and criminal proceedings." Virmani v. Presbyterian Health Servs. Corp., 350 N.C. 449, 463 (1999). See also N.C.G.S. 7A-190; 7A-191.
In Iowa, all judicial proceedings are public, “unless otherwise specially provided by statute or agreed to by the parties.” Iowa Code § 602.1601 (2009). In addition, Iowa court records are considered public records governed by the Iowa Open Records Act, which provides that “[e]very person shall have the right to examine and copy a public record and to publish or otherwise disseminate a public record or the information contained in a public record.” Iowa Code § 22.2. (2009). In Des Moines Register & Tribune Co. v.
