California judge rules against court in attempt to block publication of courtroom photos

A superior court judge ruled that the Los Angeles Times could publish photos of a murder defendant taken with the court’s permission. The judge said the attempt to bar the photos was unconstitutional prior restraint. -db
Metropolitan News-Enterprise
August 20, 2010
By Kenneth Ofgang
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge’s order barring publication of photos that were taken [...]

In court photo dispute Los Angeles Times alleges illegal prior restraint

In a brief filed in court this week, the Los Angeles Times argued that their photographer acted with the court’s permission in taking photos of a defendant charged with murder, and that any attempts to prevent publication of the photos constituted prior restraint. -db
Metropolitan News-Enterprise
August 19, 2010
By a MetNews Staff Writer
A Los Angeles [...]

California appeals court allows publication of courtroom photos

The California Court of Appeal ordered a Superior Court judge to reverse her ban barring the Los Angeles Times from publishing the courtroom photos of a murder suspect. -db
Los Angeles Times
August 9, 2010
By Andrew Blankstein
The California Court of Appeal ordered a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge Monday to abandon her order barring the Los [...]

Free press: Judge bans Los Angeles Times photographer from publishing courtroom photos

A judge approved a written request to photograph a murder suspect but when reminded in court about a prior order banning photography ordered the photographer not to publish his photos. -db
Los Angeles Times
August 5, 2010
By Andrew Blankstein
A judge issued an unusual order Wednesday in which she told a newspaper photographer not to publish pictures [...]

Judge bars LA Times from publishing photos

A judge took the unusual and possibly unconstitutional step of barring a Los Angeles Times photographer from publishing images she allowed him to snap at a hearing for a man charged with murdering a Hollywood family.
News

August 5, 2010
By The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES— Lawyers for the Times planned [...]

Superior Court judge orders newspaper not to publish details of legal dispute

Superior Court Judge took the rare step of ordering The National Law Journal not to publish information ahead of publication
The Washington Post Blog/ Commentary
July 26, 2010
By Mike Debonis

What should have been a boring trade-paper article about a pomegranate-juice company’s legal-fee dispute got a whole lot, er, juicier last week.
Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff took the rare step of [...]

Student editors in Washington fight prior review

Although students in a Washington school district recently won a censorship ruling in federal court, they are still fighting their district’s media policy that permits the administration powers of prior review and prior restraint. -db

Student Press Law Center
May 20, 2010
By Josh Moore
PUYALLUP, Wash. — Student editors at three Puyallup School District high schools are pointing [...]

New California student free press law aims to stop prior restraint of student publications in charter schools

The adviser of a high school newspaper in Orange County, California says a revised publication policy at the charter school, the Orange County High School of the Arts, is in conflict with a proposed state law inspired by alleged censorship problems at the school.-DB

Student Press Law Center
January 13, 2010
By Stefanie Dazio

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — [...]

Court rules CIA did not violate Valerie Plame’s rights

The CIA did not violate Valerie Plame’s 1st Amendment rights the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York City (2nd Cir.) has ruled. Including dates of service in her memoir including them in her memoir would still violate the secrecy agreement she signed when she joined the CIA.
Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press
New York [...]

San Diego ACLU challenges alleged violations of college employees’ free speech rights

In a letter to the Southwestern College president, the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego urged him to repudiate his actions restricting a peaceful demonstration on campus to protest budget cuts. -DB

ACLU San Diego and Imperial Counties
Press Release
November 9, 2009
Saying that a public college “must uphold the highest possible commitment to freedom of speech [...]

Parents ask court to block two plays at Nevada high school

A group of parents in a Las Vegas suburb are asking a county court to block “Rent” and “The Laramie Project” from opening November 16. They claim the plays portray gay characters and are not suitable for high school students. -DB

Courthouse News Service
October 26, 2009
By Nick Divito
LAS VEGAS (CN) – A group of parents seek [...]

Military prohibits images of troops killed in action in Afghanistan

New rules governing journalists embedded in a military unit in Afghanistan prohibit photos or videos of U.S. troops killed in action. This revises early guidelines allowing images of death so long as the Department of Defense had notified  the troops’ family. -DB
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
October 9, 2009
By Amanda Becker
The agreement journalists [...]

School administrators defy California law on students’ free press rights

Administrators at the Orange County High School of the Arts censored the school newspaper for reporting that the cafeteria service provider was a Christian company, but legal experts say under state law that would not be sufficient reason for suspending publication. -DB
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
September 11, 2009
By Scott Martindale
SANTA ANA – Two leading authorities on [...]

Reporters committee files brief supporting decriminalization of animal cruelty coverage

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to strike a federal law that makes it a crime to create or sell depictions of animal cruelty. –DB
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Press Release
July 24, 2009
By Rory Eastburg
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press today filed [...]