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The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Briefs and Letters Page |
Amicus brief in LFP Publishing v. Toffoloni (Dec. 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 Hammer v. Ashcroft (Nov. 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 (Sep. 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 (Sep. 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) (Sep. 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 (Aug. 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 (Aug. 13, 2009)
Urging the Florida court to award attorney’s fees in an open records case.
Amicus brief in U.S. v. Stevens (Jul. 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 (Jul. 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. (Jul. 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 (Jul. 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 (Jun. 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 (Jun. 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
A summary of media-related decisions by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor (May. 27, 2009)
Judge Sonia Sotomayor has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit for more than 10 years, and before that as a district judge in New York City for six years. With all that federal judicial experience behind her — reportedly more than any Supreme Court nominee in a century — it is surprising to see that no clear standard on First Amendment issues has emerged from her many cases.
Amicus brief in Rangra v. Abbott (May. 14, 2009)
Urging the 5th Cir. to review a panel decision holding that provisions of the Texas open meetings law restricting officials' communications must be subject to strict scrutiny.
Testimony to the Legislature of the State of Maine (Apr. 29, 2009)
Arguing against legislation that would halt public access to the salaries allocated to government positions.
Amicus brief in Associated Press v. Canterbury (Apr. 28, 2009)
Urging the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals to allow access to the e-mail messages of a former Supreme Court Justice under the state's open records law.
Comments to the Federal Aviation Administration (Apr. 17, 2009)
Arguing against a proposal to shield from public view the National Wildlife Strike Database.
Comments to the National Archives (Apr. 17, 2009)
Commenting on the management of the presidential libraries, particularly on the processing of FOIA requests by the libraries.
Amicus brief in In re NHC-Nashville Fire Litigation (Mar. 23, 2009)
Urging the Tennessee Supreme Court to find a presumptive right of access to discovery materials filed with motions in court.
Amicus brief in Citizens United v. FEC (Jan. 15, 2009)
Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that campaign finance rules may not be used to suppress political documentaries without abridging press freedom.
Amicus brief in Nebraska v. Kinyoun (Jan. 8, 2009)
Urging the Nebraska Supreme Court to release burial records of people buried on the grounds of a state mental hospital.
Amicus brief in Amnesty Int'l v. McConnell (Dec. 19, 2008)
Urging the U.S. District Court in New York City to declare that the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 violates the First Amendment rights of journalists to gather news.
Amicus brief in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel v. Wisconsin Dep't of Admin. (Dec. 1, 2008)
Urging the Wisconsin Supreme Court to release the names of public employees under the state open records law.
Amicus brief in Doe v. C.A.R.S. (Oct. 14, 2008)
Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal case in Pennsylvania in which the existence of the case was completely secret, and the media was denied the right to intervene to argue for access.
Protest letter to Sheriff Fletcher (Sep. 5, 2008)
Objecting to citations given to journalists covering convention protests in St. Paul.
Amicus brief in National Institute of Military Justice v. Dep't of Defense (Aug. 29, 2008)
Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a case over access to documents related to the creation of military commissions.
Independent Newspapers Inc. v. Brodie amicus brief (Jul. 28, 2008)
Urging the Maryland Court of Special Appeals to recognize the importance of creating a highly protective standard before allowing litigants to unmask anonymous speakers on Web sites.
Amicus brief in U.S. v. Martinez (Jul. 10, 2008)
The Reporters Committee urged a military court to recognize a right of access to all documents filed as part of a court martial proceeding.
Comments on amendment to Arizona rules on cameras in courts (May. 20, 2008)
Urging the state Supreme Court to accept proposed amendments to its rules that would allow for camera coverage of trials.
Amicus brief in Taylor v. Sturgell (Apr. 16, 2008)
The Reporters Committee joined an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court arguing that litigation by one FOIA requester does not stop others from litigating for the same documents.
Comments on amendments to Florida court rules (Apr. 1, 2008)
Urging the state Supreme Court to reject a proposal to treat as confidential all requests to seal records in criminal cases.
Comments on Public Access to Court Records (Mar. 24, 2008)
The Reporters Committee commented on proposed access rules presented to the New Jersey Supreme Court, which create a presumption of access to records but defer a decision on allowing greater electronic access.
Amicus brief in Bank Julius Baer v. Wikileaks (Feb. 29, 2008)
The Reporters Committee joined a media coalition opposing a prior restraint against the wikileaks.org web site which completely cut off access to the site.
Amicus brief in In re September 11 Litigation (Dec. 21, 2007)
Arguing that records in the civil case over liability following the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks should be open to the public.
Amicus brief in Billings Gazette v. Montana (Dec. 3, 2007)
Urging the court to recognize the public interest in opening attorney disciplinary proceedings.
Amicus brief in Forum Communications v. Jahnke (N.D.) (Nov. 20, 2007)
Arguing that court records related to a lawsuit between the NCAA and University of North Dakota should not be sealed.
Amicus brief in Asociacion de Periodistas de Puerto Rico v. Mueller (Nov. 6, 2007)
Arguing that a civil rights lawsuit filed by journalists who were assaulted by FBI agents in Puerto Rico should not have been dismissed.
Comments to federal judiciary on electronic access to plea bargain records (Oct. 26, 2007)
The Reporters Committee urged the courts to continue to allow online access to plea bargains.
Letter to St. George, Utah, judge in reporter's contempt case (Oct. 24, 2007)
The Reporters Committee argued that it was inappropriate for a judge to compel a television reporter to produce a report on "a public need" as punishment for a contempt finding.
Comments on camera access to Minnesota courts (Oct. 18, 2007)
The Reporters Committee recommended that Minnesota courts change their long-standing policy and adopt court rules that would allow electronic and photographic equipment into the state’s trial courts.
Evaluation of the likely impact of Attorney General Nominee Michael Mukasey on Press Freedoms and the Public's Right to Know (Sep. 20, 2007)
A report on the cases and holdings of Michael Mukasey related to the First Amendment and freedom of information issues.
Amicus brief in Hammer v. Ashcroft (Aug. 8, 2007)
Arguing that a prison's ban on media interviews with an inmate are based on political, not penological, interests.
Amicus brief in U.S. v. District Court (Thomas Kontogiannis) (Jul. 18, 2007)
Arguing that federal prosecutor's late invocation of the Classified Information Procedures Act cannot overcome the public right of access to transcripts of hearings leading to a criminal plea agreement.
Amicus brief in New Hampshire v. DeCato (Jun. 18, 2007)
Arguing that the involuntary commitment proceedings of sexually violent predators must be open to the public.
White Paper: "Confidentiality Complications" (Jun. 13, 2007)
How new rules, technologies and corporate practices affect the reporter’s privilege and further demonstrate the need for a federal shield law
Motion to intervene in U.S. v. Rosen (Mar. 13, 2007)
Seeking to intervene to argue for open proceedings in the espionage prosecutions of two former lobbyists.
Amicus brief in Zellner v. Cedarburg School District (Feb. 21, 2007)
Arguing that an individual cannot assert a third-party publisher's copyright interest to keep records about his misconduct from being disclosed under the state open records law.
Amicus brief in Griffis v. Pinal County (Feb. 8, 2007)
Arguing that a public official's email messages relating to official misconduct are public records.
Amicus brief in Forensic Advisors v. Matrixx Initiatives (Feb. 2, 2007)
Urging the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, to recognize that the shield law protects a publisher from having to submit to a deposition about its subscribers.
Letter to ABA on access to criminal history information (Jan. 9, 2007)
Urging the ABA House of Delegates to reject a resolution calling for automatic sealing of most arrest records and other criminal history information.
Amicus brief in Gilmore v. Gonzales (Nov. 13, 2006)
Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a case involving the secrecy of a Transportations Services Administration regulation regarding air travel that was withheld from the public as "sensitive security information."
Amicus brief in ACLU v. Dep't of Defense (Sep. 13, 2006)
Arguing in support of the release of Army photographs depicting detainee abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Amicus brief in Gradient Analytics v. Overstock.com (Aug. 31, 2006)
Urging a California appellate court to dismiss a lawsuit over financial analysis that should be viewed as protected opinion speech.
Comments on proposed Virginia rules on electronic access to court documents (Aug. 18, 2006)
Urging the state Supreme Court rules committee to make modifications to its proposed policy to better conform to current legal standards on courthouse access.
Amicus brief in Neal v. Kansas City Star (Jun. 8, 2006)
Urging the Eighth Circuit to uphold an order requiring a bankruptcy court to release the names of creditors in a judge's bankruptcy case.
Amicus brief in Knightstown Banner v. Town of Knightstown (May. 1, 2006)
Urging the Supreme Court of Indiana to recognize the public's right to records of a legal settlement between a city and a former employee.
Amicus brief in ACLU v. Dept of Defense, Second Circuit (Mar. 10, 2006)
Urging the Second Circuit to uphold a decision ordering the Department of Defense to release Abu Ghraib prison photos.
Amicus brief in Lee v. Gov. of Delaware (Nov. 30, 2005)
Arguing that the Delaware Supreme Court should recognize that journalists from out of state have a right to use the state open records law.
Letter to court in AMD v. Intel (Nov. 30, 2005)
Urging the court to carefully consider any request for an overly restrictive protective order in the two computer chip makers' antitrust suit.
Alito's record on free press issues (Nov. 2, 2005)
A summary of media-related decisions by Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr.
Amicus brief in Edmonds v. U.S. (Oct. 19, 2005)
Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a controversial whistleblower case in which the public and press were barred from an appellate hearing with no explanation.
Letter to Chief Justice John Roberts (Oct. 17, 2005)
The Reporters Committee and other groups urged the new Chief Justice to consider changes to increase the openness of the courts, including allowing proceedings to be televised.
Motion in U.S. v. Franklin (Oct. 12, 2005)
The Reporters Committee filed a motion asking for leave to file a brief in an espionage-related criminal case, which would argue that a broad reading of the statute in the case would allow officials to prosecute journalists for receiving or reporting information the government wants to keep secret.
Reporters Committee objects to Rhode Island federal court gag order rule (Aug. 11, 2005)
Urging the court to rescind a rule that would impose gag orders on all parties, lawyers and court personnel in all cases.
Amicus brief in ACLU v. Dept of Defense (Aug. 4, 2005)
Urging the court to reject the DOD's argument that Abu Ghraib photos are exempt from release because they might result in violence by U.S. opponents.
Letter to Attorney Gen. Alberto Gonzales (Aug. 2, 2005)
The Reporters Committee and other news media organizations urged the Attorney General to amend the "Ashcroft Memorandum" on FOI Act disclosures.
Roberts' record on free press issues (Jul. 21, 2005)
A summary of media-related cases handled by Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr.
Letter to DHS Sec. Chertoff regarding news media subpoenas (Jun. 8, 2005)
The Reporters Committee urged the department to adopt a policy similar to the Justice Department's guidelines regarding questioning and subpoenaing members of the news media.
Amicus brief in O'Grady v. Superior Court/Apple Computer (Apr. 11, 2005)
The Reporters Committee argued that the First Amendment rights of journalists are not automatically trumped by California's trade secrets laws when journalists report on a company's marketing plans.
Amicus brief in East Bank Special Service Fire Protection District v. Crossen (Mar. 3, 2005)
The Reporters Committee argued that the public has a compelling interest in seeing public employees' disciplinary records, especially when they are entrusted with duties that are critical to a community's well-being, such as teaching, law enforcement and emergency response.
Amicus brief in In re Inquest Subpoena (WCAX) (Mar. 3, 2005)
Arguing that the Vermont Supreme Court should recognize a qualified privilege for the protection of a television station's news outtakes.
Amicus brief in Denver Post Corp. v. United States (Feb. 16, 2005)
Arguing to the US Army Court of Criminal Appeals that pretrial hearings by military courts are presumptively open to the public.
Amicus brief in Citizen Publishing v. Elleithee (Feb. 15, 2005)
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press urged the Supreme Court of Arizona to dismiss an intentional infliction of emotional distress lawsuit over a letter-to-the-editor.
Letter to Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich (PDF) (Nov. 22, 2004)
The Reporters Committtee urged the governor to overturn his office's decision to bar state officials from talking to two Baltimore Sun reporters.
Gonzales, Press Freedoms and the Public's Right to Know (Nov. 15, 2004)
Evaluation of the likely impact of Attorney General Nominee Alberto Gonzales on Press Freedoms and the Public's Right to Know
Amicus brief in Greenwich v. FOI Commission (Conn.) (PDF) (Nov. 9, 2004)
Arguing for public access to geographical information systems (GIS) data, in opposition to overly restrictive town regulations.
Comments on Florida policy on remote public access to court records (PDF) (Nov. 1, 2004)
The Reporters Committee filed comments urging a Florida commission to adopt a broad policy of electronic access to court records.
2004 Republican National Convention Media Hotline flyer (PDF) (Aug. 23, 2004)
Information on the RCFP's Republican convention hotline, including what reporters should do if they are arrested.
Comments on DHS Proposed Environmental Planning Directive (PDF) (Aug. 16, 2004)
The Coalition of Journalists for Open Government, which includes the Reporters Committee, filed comments before the Department of Homeland Security concerning information disclosure restrictions in its environmental planning program.
Amicus brief in Multimedia Holdings v. Florida and Barber (PDF) (Aug. 12, 2004)
The Reporters Committee and other media groups argued that a judge's order threatening punishment for publishing information from a grand jury transcript was an unconstitutional prior restraint.
Amicus brief in EPIC v. Department of Justice (PDF) (Jul. 27, 2004)
The Reporters Committee filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Cir. to clarify the standard for when government agencies expedite processing of FOIA requests.
Amicus brief in The Associated Press v. District Court (PDF) (Jul. 22, 2004)
The Reporters Committee joined a brief petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to override a prior restraint on the media issued by the Colorado Supreme Court.
2004 Democratic National Convention Media Hotline flyer (PDF) (Jul. 20, 2004)
Information on the convention hotline, including what to do if reporters are arrested.
Comments on Protection of Sensitive Security Information (PDF) (Jul. 16, 2004)
The Coalition of Journalists for Open Government, which includes the Reporters Committee, filed comments before the DOT and TSA arguing for a less restrictive policy on access to "sensitive security information."
Comments on New Jersey attorney grievance rules (PDF) (May. 14, 2004)
The Reporters Committee urged the New Jersey Supreme Court to rescind a rule that makes all attorney grievances confidential.
Amicus brief in City of Chicago v. BATF (PDF) (Apr. 16, 2004)
The Reporters Committee argued for release of BATF gun sales data.
Letter to Justice Scalia over marshal's interference with reporters at speech (PDF) (Apr. 8, 2004)
The Reporters Committee urged Justice Scalia to ensure that marshals never again destroy the newsgathering materials of reporters covering his speeches.
Letter to Attorney General, U.S. Marshals over interference with reporters at Scalia speech (PDF) (Apr. 8, 2004)
The Reporters Committee objected to the demands made by a deputy U.S. Marshal at a speech by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia that resulted in the destruction of reporters' tape recordings of the speech.
Amicus brief in Frankl v. Goodyear (PDF) (Apr. 5, 2004)
The Reporters Committee joined a brief arguing that discovery documents in an important products liability suit should be publicly available.
Amicus brief in Cheney v. U.S. District Court (PDF) (Mar. 11, 2004)
Arguing that news media and public access to the vice president's energy task force meetings would not significantly interfere with the Constitutional duties of the President.
Comments on Minnesota court access plans (PDF) (Feb. 9, 2004)
The Reporters Committee and others criticized a proposed plan covering access to Minnesota court records in both electronic and paper form that is unnecessarily restrictive.
Motion to intervene in M.K.B. v. Warden (PDF) (Jan. 2, 2004)
Asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow media organizations to intervene in a Sept. 11-related court secrecy case.
Amicus brief in U.S. v. Ochoa-Vasquez (PDF) (Dec. 23, 2003)
Urging the U.S. Court of Appeals (11th Cir.) to bar the practice of maintaining a secret docket for some cases.
Amicus brief in Star-Tribune v. Regents (PDF) (Dec. 22, 2003)
Arguing that the University of Minnesota must disclose the names of finalists in its presidential search
RCFP protest letter to Texas prisons (PDF) (Dec. 11, 2003)
Protesting the prison system's decision to exclude non-fiction book authors from the definition of "journalists" who are allowed to interview inmates.
Amicus brief in M.K.B. v. Warden (PDF) (Nov. 3, 2003)
Arguing that a habeas corpus proceeding related to a terrorism case should be open to the public.
Letter to Attorney General Ashcroft concerning sealing of federal cases (PDF) (Oct. 23, 2003)
The Reporters Committee voiced concerns over the apparent policy of federal prosecutors to routine request complete closure of many criminal cases, in violation of department guidelines that encourage openness.
Protest letter to FBI over subpoena letter to journalists (Oct. 3, 2003)
Urging the FBI to rescind letters sent to journalists ordering them to preserve records pending subpoenas to be obtained by the FBI.
Amicus brief in Doe v. Chao (PDF) (Sep. 25, 2003)
Urging the U.S. Supreme Court to recognize a limit on damages under the federal Privacy Act.
Amicus brief in Office of Independent Counsel v. Favish (PDF) (Aug. 22, 2003)
Arguing to the U.S. Supreme Court that photographs from the Vincent Foster death scene should be released in the public interest.
Questions for Attorney General John Ashcroft on the USA PATRIOT Act and its effect on the news media (Aug. 20, 2003)
As the Attorney General starts his nationwide tour to promote the USA PATRIOT Act, questions of how it will be used against journalists remain unanswered.
Comments to DHS on Critical Infrastructure Information (Jun. 16, 2003)
Expressing concern that the Department will interpret broadly, rather than narrowly, its ability to keep information labeled as "critical infrastructure information" from the public.
Amicus brief in United States v. Moussaoui (Apr. 3, 2003)
Urging the Fourth Circuit to allow media access to documents and hearings
Amicus brief in In re PETA (Mar. 21, 2003)
Urging the Virginia Supreme Court to allow access to filings in a controversial case.
Comments on DHS Interm Final FOI Act Rules (Feb. 25, 2003)
Urging the Department of Homeland Security to incorporate provisions of the Department of Justice regulation allowing expedited processing of requests when it is determined that they involve "a matter of widespread and exceptional media interest."
Amicus brief in U.S. Dep't of Treasury v. City of Chicago (Feb. 5, 2003)
Arguing that the U.S. Supreme Court should uphold a decision requiring release of information from ATF gun sales databases.
Amicus brief in Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. New Jersey (Jan. 21, 2003)
Urging the Supreme Court to review a case in which a judge's order forbidding contact with jurors after a trial was upheld.
Statement of principles on coverage of war on terrorism (Dec. 19, 2002)
A coalition of 16 journalism groups urged the Bush administration to abide by guidelines established by the Pentagon and media groups, sending a Statement of Principles to Pentagon and White House officials.
Amicus brief in Weinburger v. Maplewood Review (Nov. 27, 2002)
Urging the Minnesota Supreme Court to find the state shield law protects against subpoenas in libel suits.
Comments regarding public access to critical energy infrastructure information (Nov. 13, 2002)
The Reporters Committee objected to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's proposal to limit public access to a broad category of public information.
Comments regarding Local Rule 5.03 (D.S.C.) on secret settlements (Sep. 27, 2002)
The Reporters Committee and others urged South Carolina federal judges to adopt a proposed rule that would ban secret settlements.
Amicus brief in Connecticut Dept. of Public Safety v. Doe (Aug. 2, 2002)
Urging the court to find that governmental dissemination of truthful information about a person does not trigger "due process" requirements.
Comments to the Executive Office of Immigration Review (Jul. 30, 2002)
Arguing that the EOIR must change its proposed rule on sealing and protective orders to recognize First Amendment interests.
Amicus brief in Otte v. Doe (later restyled Godfrey v. Doe) (Jun. 3, 2002)
Urging the Supreme Court to hold that dissemination of information from sex offender registries is not a "punishment" that violates the Ex Post Facto clause of the U.S. Constitution
Amicus brief in Rossignol v. Voorhaar (May. 30, 2002)
A newspaper publisher's rights are violated when a sheriff and his deputies removed all copies of a newspaper on election morning to keep the electorate from reading unfavorable coverage of a candidate -- even when the officials pay for the copies they took.
World Press Freedom Day column (May. 3, 2002)
In the aftermath of September 11th, the U.S. government has moved to limit access to important information.
Comments on Draft Model Policy on Public Access to Court Records (Apr. 15, 2002)
The Reporters Committee filed comments on April 15, 2002, finding fault with "model" proposals that would restrict access to a wide range of court documents
Comments on Critical Energy Infrastructure Information rules (Mar. 11, 2002)
The Reporters Committee objected to FERC's proposals to limit public access to such information.
Amicus brief in Gonzaga University v. Doe (Feb. 22, 2002)
Urging the Supreme Court to limit Section 1983 claims over alleged privacy interests
Letter to the Attorney General about a news subpoena for Vanessa Leggett (Jan. 14, 2002)
The Reporters Committee asked Ashcroft to tread carefully before issuing a second subpoena against the author, and to treat her as a journalist by applying the department's own rules on subpoenaing a member of the news media.
Complaint in American Historical Association v. National Archives and Records Admin. (Nov. 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 (Oct. 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 (Sep. 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 (Aug. 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 (Aug. 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 (Jul. 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. (Jun. 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 (Mar. 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 (Feb. 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 (Jan. 26, 2001)
Comments to the federal judiciary on proposed policies limiting electronic access to court material
Amicus brief in Ivey v. Alabama (Jan. 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 (Dec. 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 (Dec. 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 (Dec. 1, 2000)
The Reporters Committee argued that the extensive limitations on access would greatly harm the public interest.
Amicus brief in James Sanders v. U.S. (Nov. 20, 2000)
Arguing that a journalist's conviction under a crash scene law did not include a weighing against First Amendment interests at stake.
Albuquerque Journal v. Jewell (Nov. 17, 2000)
Asking the New Mexico Supreme Court to find that a trial judge improperly excluded the media during a hearing involving the removal of an obese child from her parents.
Amicus brief in Hill v. Ohio (Oct. 25, 2000)
Arguing that the Ohio Supreme Court should find a county rule requiring anonymous juries unconstitutional.
Testimony Regarding Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1333, Access to Public Information (Oct. 4, 2000)
Testifying in support of a bill reforming Pennsylvania's open records laws
Amicus brief in United States v. Matthews (Sep. 11, 2000)
Asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the conviction of a journalist who was barred from presenting a First Amendment defense to a technical violation of the law.
Letter to California Gov. Gray Davis concerning prison access. (Aug. 29, 2000)
The Reporters Committee urged the California governor to sign a bill (which he vetoed last year) that will allow greater news media access to prisoners.
Amicus brief in ETW Corp. v. Jireh Publishing (Aug. 23, 2000)
The Reporters Committee urged a federal appellate court to uphold a decision that Tiger Woods' "right of publicity" does not allow him to keep an artist from selling works with the golfer's image.
Amicus brief in Underwood v. Azula (Jun. 28, 2000)
Arguing that the State of Washington should recognize a qualified reporter's privilege for non-confidential-source information.
Amicus brief in Colorado v. Lewis (Jun. 20, 2000)
Arguing that applying a vague commercial bribery statute to journalists engaged in newsgathering is unconstitutional.
Testimony at congressional E-FOIA Hearings (Jun. 14, 2000)
Testimony on the status of federal agency compliance with the Electronic Freedom of Information Act of 1996
Amicus brief in Ford v. City of Huntsville (Jun. 13, 2000)
The Reporters Committee argued that courts cannot issue confidentiality orders restricting access to otherwise public information.
Re: PG Publishing Co. v. City of Pittsburgh (Jun. 8, 2000)
A letter urging a federal judge to find that government settlements should not subvert mandatory disclosure provisions of public records laws.
Letter encouraging reduced sentence for convicted freelance journalist (Jun. 5, 2000)
The Reporters Committee urged a California judge to reconsider his harsh sentence imposed on a journalist who was convicted of interfering with police at a crime scene.
Letter protesting requested restriction on posting of probationers' photos (Apr. 18, 2000)
The Reporters Committee argued that enjoining the Florida Department of Corrections from posting photographs on the Internet frustrates the purposes of the open records act.
Letter protesting prior restraint against AP (Apr. 12, 2000)
The Reporters Committee urged a Texas court to rescind its restraining order keeping the Associated Press from publishing information in public records.
Amicus brief in Ohio ex rel. The Dispatch Printing Co. v. City of Columbus (Mar. 24, 2000)
The Reporters Committee argued that Ohio law does not allow private contracts to limit the public’s right to access government information.
Amicus brief in United Reporting v. California Highway Patrol (Mar. 23, 2000)
Brief arguing that state laws distinguishing between types of records requestors violate equal protection guarantees.
Letter supporting camera access in Nichols trial (Feb. 28, 2000)
The Reporters Committee urged the state judge presiding over Terry Nichols' murder trial to allow camera access to the courtroom.
Comments on Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (Feb. 17, 2000)
Rules proposed by the Health and Human Services Administration for HIPAA compliance do not adequately protect public interests in some patient information.
Amicus brief in Knight Publishing Co. v. Presbyterian Health Services Corp. (Feb. 11, 2000)
Brief urging U.S. Supreme Court to hear case petitioning for First Amendment right of access to civil trials
Amicus brief in Taucher v. Born (Jan. 7, 2000)
Brief arguing that CFTC regulation requiring registration of financial reporters is unconstitutional
Amicus brief in Lissner v. U.S. Customs Service (Dec. 17, 1999)
Brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to overturn a decision withholding investigative records
Amicus letter brief, In re: Samsung Telecommunications of America (Dec. 10, 1999)
Urging Texas Supreme Court to rehear appeal of order requiring journalists to sign confidentiality pledge before attending trial
Protest to Judicial Conference over denial of access to disclosure forms (Dec. 9, 1999)
The Reporters Committee protested a federal judge's decision to deny an Internet news site access to judicial financial disclosure forms, and encouraged the judicial committee to reverse the ban.
Reporters Committee protests Seattle reporter's arrest (Dec. 2, 1999)
The Reporters Committee urged the mayor of Seattle to ensure that more reporters do not get swept up in arrests while covering protests of the World Trade Organization conference.
Amicus brief in United States v. Weatherhead (Nov. 19, 1999)
Letters from foreign governments cannot be treated as automatically exempt under the FOI Act.
Protest letter to Judge Roger Bradford, Valparaiso, Indiana (Sep. 22, 1999)
A letter protesting a judge's order limiting trial participants' rights to talk to media
Amici Curiae brief, United States v. Larry Matthews (Jul. 30, 1999)
Arguing in support of a journalist's right to present a First Amendment defense to a technical violation of the law
RCFP testimony on status of EFOIA Act (Jun. 9, 1998)
Reporters Committee Executive Director Jane E. Kirtley testified June 9 before the House Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology about the status of implementation of the Electronic FOI Improvements Act of 1996.