McCormick Fellowship

Applications are now being accepted from law school graduates for the paid, yearlong McCormick Foundation Legal Fellowship at the Reporters Committee. Deadline is March 1. Look in the "About Us" section for details.

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Sunshine Week 2012

The Reporters Committee joins the American Society of News Editors as a national co-sponsor of Sunshine Week 2012, March 11-17, which will celebrate the importance of open government. Awards will be presented to the "Local Heroes" who have fought for access to information in their communities.

Open Government Guide

The OGG is a comprehensive overview of open records and open meetings laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Users can cross-reference and compare the laws in different states or simply get an in-depth analysis of one state.

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Proposed Fla. bill shields legislators from civil court http://t.co/uPZ9bcIm
Boston Herald: Three-year federal gag order set to expire this week in extortion case against prostitute http://t.co/vOLZqvs6
Boston Herald: Three-year federal gag order set to expire this week in extortion case against prostitute http://t.co/vOLZqvs6

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2008 RNC protesters
The Reporters Committee announced legal defense hotlines for journalists covering the upcoming political conventions.
Proposed Fla. bill shields legislators from civil court
02/21/2012
A bill making its way through the Florida House of Representatives would give state legislators total immunity against providing testimony or producing records in civil court proceedings, which would include open records lawsuits, according to First...
Ark. high court rules use-of-force reports are public records
02/17/2012
The Arkansas Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision yesterday confirming that police officers' self-prepared reports – detailing instances where force was used – are subject to public release under the state's...
Wall Street Journal reporter protected by N.Y. shield law
02/16/2012
A former reporter for The Wall Street Journal is protected from testifying in a lawsuit between the financial firm Goldman Sachs and a former client, the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York City (2nd Cir.) ruled yesterday.
Conn. high court rules university can withhold trade secrets
02/16/2012
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in University of Connecticut v. Freedom of Information Commission that a public entity could invoke the trade secret exemption in the state freedom of information act to shield its own records from being...
Colo. senate committee votes to repeal criminal libel law
02/15/2012
Colorado's state judiciary committee took the first step this week in repealing a decades-old statute that criminalizes libel. The bill passed with a 6-0 vote -- with one voting member absent -- on Tuesday, and is expected to go before the full...

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The Place to Start

The Digital Journalist's Legal Guide has the answers and links to Reporters Committee resources for all your questions about the legal issues involved in gathering and disseminating news.

FOIA Services

Find everything you need to file a public record request, including the Reporters Committtee Automatic FOIA Letter Generator and links to our federal and state Open Government Guides.

 

 

Our Mission

To protect the right to gather and distribute news; to keep government accountable by ensuring access to public records, meetings and courtrooms; and to preserve the principles of free speech and unfettered press, as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.