News & Opinion

James Madison Awards, Call for Nominations

The Society of Professional Journalists (NorCal Chapter) presents the 23rd Annual James Madison Freedom of Information Awards The James Madison Freedom of Information Awards recognize Northern California organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of freedom of information and expression in the spirit of James Madison, the creative force behind the First Amendment. The awards are presented at a ceremony in March during National Freedom of Information Week near the anniversary

Read More »

State Supreme Court affirms free speech safeguards for private shopping malls

San Diego Union-Tribune By Greg Moran December 25, 2007 A sharply divided state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that shopping malls can’t ban protesters from calling for boycotts of mall businesses. The 4-3 ruling came in a case dating to 1998 involving the Fashion Valley mall and a labor union representing press workers at The San Diego Union-Tribune. The court majority said that free-speech rights – as interpreted under the state Constitution and a 1979 state

Read More »

Bush Signs FOIA Rewrite

On Monday, Dec. 31, President George Bush signed bipartisan legislation containing the most important amendments to the FOIA in over a decade. The changes expand the definition of who is a “representative of the news media.” This will benefit bloggers and non-traditional journalists by making them eligible for discounted processing and duplication fees that are available to the news media. Other important reforms include: –Broadening the scope of information that can be requested by including

Read More »

Ninth Circuit affirms need for written notice of request for court closure

A three-judge panel held that defendants have to make a written request to close a courtroom. Dec. 19, 2007 · The public has a presumptive right of access to criminal courtrooms, and defendants requesting closure of a hearing must make a written motion first, according to a decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco (9th Cir.). While past U.S. Supreme Court and California court precedent require notice before

Read More »