Judge rules out TV for closing arguments in Prop. 8 hearing

Federal Judge Vaughn Walker denied a media request to televise arguments in the California same-sex marriage trial without providing reasons for his decision. -db

San Francisco Chronicle
June 10, 2010
By Bob Egelko

SAN FRANCISCO — The only members of the public who will get to watch next week’s closing arguments in the trial over same-sex marriage in [...]

Prop. 8 supporters oppose cameras in court for final arguments

A lawyer for the Prop. 8 campaign committee sent a letter to the federal judge hearing the lawsuit challenging the proposition arguing that a broadcast of the closing arguments set for June 16 would have negative effects on the judge including making him avoid unpopular decisions. -db

San Francisco Chronicle
May 25, 2010
By Bob Egelko
Sponsors of California’s [...]

Same-sex marriage referendum: Supreme Court justices voice skepticism about keeping signatures private

In hearing arguments about keeping referendum signatures private in a referendum to repeal Washington’s domestic partnership law, several justices appeared unsympathetic to arguments of the attorney opposing making the signatures public. -db

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
April 28, 2010
By Mara Zimmerman

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared skeptical of the argument that signatures on [...]

U.S. Supreme Court hearing two free speech cases as preludes to same-sex marriage case

Two cases currently before the Supreme Court will set the First Amendment ground rules for the debate on same-sex marriage. The case heard this week concerns a Christian legal group at a California law school who wants to bar gays from their membership, a prohibition that the school says violates their nondiscrimination policy. Plaintiffs in [...]

California: Federal panel refuses to reverse order forcing anti-prop 8 alliance to produce campaign materials

Groups that campaigned against Prop 8, the California initiative that banned same-sex marriage, lost a court battle to block release of their campaign materials. -db

Courthouse News Service
April 14, 2010
By Elizabeth Banicki

(CN) – The 9th Circuit said it lacks jurisdiction to overturn a federal judge’s order forcing gay marriage advocacy groups to turn over their Proposition [...]

Federal courts rule out broadcast of closing arguments in California same-sex marriage trial

A federal court will not include California’s same-sex marriage trial in its pilot program to broadcast civil proceedings contrary to recent media reports. -db

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
March 9, 2010
By Curry Andrews
A federal court in San Francisco announced on Friday that it is not planning to broadcast closing arguments in the trial [...]

Internet raises stakes in cases pitting public disclosure against right to privacy

In Doe v. Reed, the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh the right to privacy under the First Amendment’s protection of freedom of speech and association against the need for open government and transparency in public elections. -DB
First Amendment Center
Commentary
January 19, 2010
By Tony Mauro
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court has agreed to review a case [...]

Domestic partnership law: Supreme Court takes case on privacy for petition signers

The Supreme Court agreed last week to consider whether the First Amendment guarantees the right of privacy to those signing ballot-initiative petitions. -DB

The New York Times
January 16, 2010
By Adam Liptak
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide whether the First Amendment requires that the names of people who sign ballot-initiative petitions be [...]

Supreme Court scuttles plan for televising Prop 8 trial

In another 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that given the notoriety of the same-sex marriage trial and that the public had insufficient time to comment on the decision to televise the trial, there would be no live telecasts or delayed broadcasts on YouTube. The Court did not rule on whether any federal trial [...]

Prop 8 hearing: Strict enforcement of laws against assault needed rather than curtailing TV coverage

A Citizen Media Law Project blogger argues that the Supreme Court should recognize that it is against California law to assault witnesses and that not televising the proceedings will not protect witnesses in what promises to be a widely publicized event. To allow the broadcast on YouTube would provide a boost to freedom of the [...]

Prop. 8 proponents object to TV for hearing in federal court

Sponsors of Prop. 8 the ballot measure that banned same-sex in California say that television coverage of the court trial in San Francisco in January would result in harassment and intimidation of witnesses and other participants. -DB

San Francisco Chronicle
December 30, 2009
By Bob Egelko

SAN FRANCISCO — Sponsors of California’s ban on same-sex marriage, which faces a federal [...]

Federal court approves television cameras in time for Prop 8 hearing

The Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit approved television cameras for certain district court hearings, civil proceedings with no juries. Before now the court had only allowed cameras to televise appellate arguments. -DB

Cal Law
December 18, 2009
By Dan Levine
SAN FRANCISCO — The Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit authorized television cameras in certain district court proceedings Thursday, [...]

Opinion: Imperial Valley Board of Supervisors violated spirit of California’s open government law

While finding that the county supervisors covered themselves sufficiently on the Brown Act, the Imperial Valley Press argues that they failed to honor the spirit of the Brown Act by not fully informing the public that it was their intention to intervene in a federal case involving Prop 8 making same-sex marriage illegal in California. -DB

Imperial [...]

Imperial County Board of Supervisors under scrutiny for possible open government violation

The American Civil Liberties Union is looking into an allegation that the Imperial County Board of Supervisors violated California’s Brown Act in a closed session December 15 when it voted to intervene in a federal case involving Prop 8, the state proposition making same-sex marriage illegal. -DB

Imperial Valley Press
December 18, 2009
By Elizabeth Variner

Did the Imperial County [...]

Federal judge orders Prop. 8 backers to cough up campaign strategy documents without delay

Backers of proposition 8 were hoping to delay turning over campaign records while appealing  a court order to surrender the documents. But a district federal judge ordered them to relinquish the documents so that Prop. 8 opponents could examine them for anti gay bias. -DB

San Francisco Chronicle

October 26, 2009
Bob Egelko
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge said [...]