The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Quick Links: 2005
A collection of recent media law news from other sources. Please note that the longevity of the links below depends on each site; some may require logins, some may be available for a fee, and some may disappear entirely.
December
21: New York won't release "high hazard" dam records.
21: Newspaper can't see police hopefuls' test scores.
21: Tennessee trooper's criminal history removed from records.
21: Democrats seek access to all of Alito's writings.
15: Prosecutor subpoeanas Houston TV station for unaired footage.
15: Reporter appeals order to testify in New York court.
14: Texas mandates open records training for public officials.
13: Portion of lawsuit dismissed over newspaper's story about an alleged blackmail scheme.
13: Some intel documents would be exempt from FOI Act under Senate provision.
12: Journalist's notes used to aid prosecution in Arizona federal court.
02: FOI Act request yields memo showing seriously flawed intelligence helped convince officials to embark upon the Vietnam War.
November
30: In recent years, 10 states have enacted laws barring release of autopsy photos.
30: Names of state troopers on Kentucky governor's security patrol are public records.
29: Judge who won libel lawsuit against Boston newspaper asks court to freeze paper's assets
23: Definitions obscure oil executive's role in secretive Cheney Energy Task Force.
18: Fitzgerald compromises on protective order in Libby case.
18: The U.S. Marshals Service must pay the Akron Beacon Journal nearly $7,000 in attorneys' fees after the newspaper's successful suit for federal mug shots.
18: Judge asked to reconsider order to journalist to seek waivers from sources in Wen Ho Lee case.
18: Journalist and protesters sue Miami over 2003 arrests.
17: Sports Illustrated, ex-Alabama coach reach second settlement in defamation case.
16: Bob Woodward testifies to special prosecutor about learning of CIA operative Plame more than two years ago.
08: FOIA requests show FEMA's 2000 Detroit storm payouts rife with fraud.
08: Time Inc. asks judge to seal defamation settlement.
08: Massachusetts jury awards $225,000 in veterinarian's libel suit.
07: A North Carolina judge dismissed a lawsuit seeking governor's clemency records.
07: A Virginia school board charged $3,400 for documents requested under the FOI Act.
03: Michael Brown, who resigned under fire as FEMA director, will now help respond to the agency's Freedom of Information Act requests.
03: Maryland appellate court hears arguments in case testing shield law.
01: Boston Islamic group expands libel suit to add conspiracy charges against journalists.
01: Journalists testify to stories' accuracy in federal trial over creationism.
01: The Federal Energy Management Agency is not providing updated information on evacuees.
October
26: Senator to ask Pentagon to investigate embedded journalists' access to classified information.
19: New California video-game law challenged on First Amendment grounds.
19: Iowa governor marks several boxes of documents "restricted" after a Des Moines Register inspection and report discussing their contents.
17: New York Times and Judith Miller tell the story of the investigation that sent Miller to jail for 85 days.
13: Judge lifts contempt order against Judith Miller.
13: Media barred from Scalia speech to insurance industry group.
13: Time Inc. says defamation suit settlement terms violated by football coach.
13: Officials in a Massachusetts town must now release documents to the public as soon as they are created.
12: State investigation finds Indiana agencies wrongly withheld records or blocked access to meetings more than half the time last year.
12: Judith Miller testifies before grand jury for a second time.
11: Connecticut development officials say keeping failed loans secret is authorized by FOI law.
11: Alabama judge won't release names of school employees on paid leave.
11: Prisoner access bill vetoed by Schwarzenegger.
11: Scalia says cameras in high court would turn serious legal proceedings into entertainment.
11: Libel suit settled three months after a federal appeals court ordered Sports Illustrated to identify a confidental source.
06: Many Missourians filing complaints with the state's insurance department now opt to keep personal records confidential under a new law.
06: Kentucky citizens have access to preliminary development plans under a ruling by the state's AG.
05: China's case against a New York Times researcher based on internal Times memo.
03: Lawsuit seeking sex-harassment records dismissed.
September
27: An Arkansas legislator's casino ballot initiative would exempt the agency from the open records law.
27: Times examines Roberts' hostile views on New York Times v. Sullivan.
26: N.C. government bodies must release non-confidential documents within 25 business days under a new law.
23: EPA proposed limiting its annual Toxic Release Inventory publication to every other year.
19: Sexual-harassment records sought in newspaper's suit against Tennessee officials.
15: Iowa keeps state disaster plan secret over security concerns.
13: Attorney who leaked FBI tape to reporter sentenced to eighteen months in prison.
12: Federal judge says U.S. cannot bar media from Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.
09: Sen. Specter: Roberts "may have a little different view about television " in the Supreme Court.
08: Court documents show Internet search company Yahoo provided information that helped convict a Chinese journalist.
07: St. Pete Times reporter shot in attempted robbery while covering Katrina's aftermath.
August
17: FOI request yields records on 1,036 Agriculture citations under mad cow rules.
16: Washington state's Pierce County Council axed a rule against "allusion" to councilmembers in public comments and now will allow comments to be televised.
08: FCC hires former Christian issues lobbyist as indecency critic.
03: Judge says two Pennsylvania reporters can be questioned but do not have to turn over notes, e-mail.
02: California Supreme Court lets secrecy ruling remain on books in Michael Jackson case.
July
22: Roman Polanski wins British libel suit against Vanity Fair.
14: A veterans group formed to stop closure of a V.A. hospital sues over $17,000 FOI fee charge.
13: Cooper testifies before grand jury.
12: Canadians ordered not to talk about Harry Potter book.
11: Paper sues for records of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Atlanta Super Bowl Bid committees.
11: A wilderness group learns through the FOI Act that oil industry volunteers are working on BLM environmental studies.
11: Colorado newspaper challenges judge's order not to post hate crime suspect's photo on its website.
08: Advocacy on radio talk show must be considered a campaign donation, judge rules.
05: Gannett sued for libel by stun gun maker.
June
24: The U.S. Senate today unanimously approved S.1181 to ensure that the new bills mandating confidentiality specify their effect on Freedom of Information Act disclosures.
24: Chemical workers, environmentalists and union members protested New Jersey attorney general plans to close off information for homeland security reasons.
22: The Virginia high court rules that the state's FOI Act applies even if records are available some other way, as in discovery.
17: American journalist killed under order from Chechen rebel, Russian prosecutor says.
16: Judge in Michael Jackson case said he will unseal all documents.
16: Judicial candidate loses libel suit over election flyer criticizing decisions.
16: Iowa State University Foundation ordered to release records in compliance with state high court ruling.
13: Judge-jury communications in Jackson trial kept secret.
09: FOI request records show ExxonMobil influenced Bush on Kyoto treaty.
07: Iowa's 'critical' assets list can be viewed, but not copied.
06: Bush to RTNDA: 'not sure" Miller/Cooper case is in the nation's best interest; "can't tell you" if he's for or against shield law.
03: Judge denies Cosby bid for gag order.
02: Edited Earnhardt contract made public in insurance case.
May
31: Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) introduced a bill, H.R. 2633, to prevent Pentagon destruction of records showing fallout effects from nuclear bomb tests.
25: New Texas law requires open-government training for public officials.
25: Rep. McDermott (D-Wash.) asks Justice to release federal subpoena data.
24: The White House filled a press briefing with its interns after reporters chose not to go.
23: Settlement in Chicago leafletting suit provides for convention center access.
23: Access to probable cause affidavit in BTK case rejected.
23: Funny Cide owners sue Miami Herald over Derby story.
10: Archives wants to destroy back-up Clinton tapes.
10: Transcript of grand-jury investigation to remain sealed.
10: Federal appeals court hears case of five journalists in contempt.
10: Public access to government records improves in 3 states.
06: Professor files FOI suit for CIA daily briefings of President Johnson.
04: New coalition pushes "choice" over indecency regulation.
04: Omaha policeman fired for expose wins back job.
02: Kentucky A.G. rules 50-cent per page record fee is too high.
02: Schwarzenegger orders review of agency "public interest" records denials.
02: BTK records unsealed in Kansas court.
02: Chicago libel case goes to trial.
April
27: U.S. freelancer detained, placed under house arrest in Sudan.
22: Florida Supreme Court affirms that use of movie characters based on real people does not violate "commercial misappropriation" law.
22: A federal air marshal has sued the Department of Homeland Security for preventing him from talking about security lapses.
21: Parties argue effects of Johnnie Cochran's death on Supreme Court case.
21: Baltimore Sun's public editor reviews Ehrlich complaints against the paper point-by-point.
19: Congressional Quarterly asked to delete name of CIA official from 40 years ago.
19: IRS refuses to release records but says it is not 'denying' their release.
15: Nothing illegal about Armstrong Williams' deal, inspector general says.
15: The People for the American Way Foundation sued the Department of Education for ignoring Freedom of Information Act requests for school voucher information.
14: TRAC and Public Citizen sue IRS over new denials for "homeland security" reasons.
11: Federal whistleblower protection counsel blasted for "politicizing" office.
08: $18 million verdict against Florida newspaper upheld.
08: Missouri Attorney General calls federal nonresponse to state's FOI requests a "pain in the neck."
07: Iowa House passes bill to boot repeat sunshine law violators from office.
07: Mississippi paper asks judge to unseal records in judicial bribery case.
07: Bo Jackson files defamation suit against newspaper.
07: The Iowa House voted to toss from office any official who violates the open records law twice.
06: Judge orders early release for Jim Taricani.
01: State records of Schiavo treatment not public, judge rules.
March
31: NYPD refuses FOI requests for crime stats and audits despite allegations of misreporting.
30: Supreme Court considers copyright infringement liability for file share software companies.
30: Florida newspaper seeks reversal of "false light" verdict.
28: High court declines to hear 'neutral reportage' case, lets stand records ruling in murder case.
25: Red Lake authorities promise media access to reservation.
25: Miami police trying to fire two officers who leaked information to newspaper.
22: The U.S. Air Force is facing a lawsuit for a "pattern and practice" of ignoring FOI requests -- more than 150 unanswered, some dating back 17 years.
22: EPA strips mercury information from rule; ignores study it financed.
21: FEC begins consideration of new online speech regulations.
18: Records of "fake news" by the Department of Agriculture are sought in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by a public interest group.
17: Bill to create FOI commission headed to full Senate.
15: Condit, Dunne settle defamation case.
14: The FCC rules "Desperate Housewives" promo showing actress dropping towel was "simply not graphic or explicit" enough to be indecent.
11: Florida newspapers sue FEMA for hurricane disaster payment records, which were withheld for "privacy" reasons.
11: Bill ordering newspapers to print free obituary notices advances in New Mexico legislature.
10: Leno argues Jackson jokes protected by First Amendment.
09: Nothing improper about Gannon/Guckert White House credentialing, Secret Service says.
09: Report concludes fewer newspaper libel suits are successful.
09: Heinz estate records ordered open in a win for two newspapers.
02: Journalist testifies, claims privilege in Jackson molestation trial.
February
28: The FCC has rejected a complaint that a short and fully clothed sex scene involving a vampire on WB's Angel last year was indecent under the agency's guidelines.
28: Reporter covering Virginia murder trial called as witness.
24: Former Park Service Police Chief Teresa Chambers, fired for answering a Washington Post reporter's questions, files suit for records in her case.
24: Newsday reports a marked increase in government public affairs personnel accompanied by tightened control over disclosures of information.
17: The U.S. Senate agreed yesterday to extend the deadline for disclosure of Nazi war crime documents by two years following the CIA's agreement to open up its war crime records.
16: Three could serve time, pay fines for Oklahoma open meetings violations.
14: Tabloid publisher asks judge to quash subpoena in Kobe Bryant case.
14: Former Virginia judge sues newspaper for revealing information the judge claims was provided confidentially.
11: FCC officials ask Senate committee to revise the Government in the Sunshine Act, allow more closed deliberations.
11: Sharper Image drops appeal, pays Consumers Union's legal fees in suit over "ionic breeze" air cleaner.
09: Funny Cide jockey's libel suit over Kentucky Derby controversy tossed.
09: Utah journalists organizations ask to join The Salt Lake Tribune's lawsuit for records of tax-supported agency claiming to be "private."
09: Judge reduces FOI copying fees from $1 to 50 cents per page; requester says price is still way too high.
03: Judge announces plan to seal most documents in Bryant civil case.
03: Boston jury sides with Globe in political-connections libel case.
03: NAB chairman criticizes FCC indecency crackdown, foresees court challenge "soon."
01: One-third of high school students say government control of press OK; but even more adults believe the same thing.
01: Union Leader: N.H. pilot project allowing public access to child abuse hearings going well.
January
31: Judge indicates governor's freeze-out of two journalists is "significant" and "troubling."
29: D.C. mayor won't sign First Amendment rights act covering protesters rights, reporters' access.
26: N.C. reporter convicted for refusing to leave murder scene.
24: The city of Scottsdale, Ariz., said it will not release city agency budget requests until city officials determine that the public would understand them.
24: Landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions censored from papers released by Jackson judge.
21: ABC fights subpoenas of journalists in RNC protest arrest case.
20: TV producer seeks to quash summons in Jackson case.
14: ABC reports grand jury testimony in Jackson case.
13: Scalia allows press and C-SPAN to record talk.
13: National Guard unit allows TV cameras to cover arrival of flag-draped coffins, despite Pentagon ban.
12: "20/20" reporter likely to be called to testify in Michael Jackson molestation trial.
12: Reporter subpoena quashed in Vermont shooting case.
10: White House paid commentator to promote legislative effort.
10: Closed court sought by Jackson lawyers.
07: Apple Computer sues news site for releasing "trade secrets" and inducing employees to violate confidentiality agreements.
05: Newspaper objects to probe of juror phone call.
05: LA Times targeted in HIPAA complaint.