First Amendment News

The Michigan Court of Appeals held that the Detroit News could publish the names of convicted felons working in schools. The court ruled that the information was obtained through public records, was true and therefore not libelous. -DB Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Jan. 26, 2009 By Hannah Bergman The Michigan Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld the dismissal of a libel suit against the Detroit News. The News was sued after it

The New York Times Co. settled a suit with GateHouse Media who claimed that the Times was using original news content from its Boston area newspapers without permission. -DB The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Jan. 26, 2009 By Samantha Fredrickson The copyright lawsuit between GateHouse Media and The New York Times Co. over linking articles on the Internet was settled this week, just one day before trial was to begin in the

Admiral Dennis C. Blair, the nominee for Director of National Intelligence, said that too much information is being withheld from the public. He also pledged to use secrecy only to protect the public rather than manipulate public opinion. -DB The Space Review (as reprinted in Secrecy News of the Federation of American Scientists) Jan. 26, 2009 By Dwayne Day “There is a great deal of over-classification,” admitted Adm. Dennis C. Blair, the nominee to be

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the autopsy report for a murdered Easton police office was a matter of public record. Two newspapers, the Morning Call of Allentown and The Express-Times of Easton, had sued the county coroner for withholding the record in February of 2006. –DB The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Jan 23, 2009 By Ahnalese Rushmann In a significant public records victory for two state newspapers, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court

A marijuana advocacy group claims that in compliance with the Brown Act, the San Diego County supervisors should have announced their Aug. 26 closed-door decision to appeal a ruling on i.d. cards for medical marijuana patients to the Supreme Court. The supervisors said they had already gone on record in 2006 with their intent to appeal to the highest court should it be necessary. -DB The Sun Jan. 22, 2009 By Joe Nelson SAN BERNARDINO