MLRC’s March Conferences Spotlight Escalating Legal Challenges at Home and Abroad
George FreemanMLRC's Latin American Conference, held in Miami, and Entertainment Conference, in Los Angeles, were both massive successes.
The Tribulations and Trial of Afroman
Jack GreinerAn Adams County, Ohio jury recently returned a verdict in favor of Joseph Foreman, aka "Afroman" in a defamation trial filed by several police employed by Adams County.
Court Dismisses “January 6” Participant’s Defamation Claims Based on Fair Report Privilege, Substantial Truth, and Failure to Identify “John Doe” Reporters
Sara Benson, Todd Hambidge and Robb HarveyA Tennessee federal court recently dismissed a defamation action against Tegna and its Knoxville affiliate, holding that the challenged news reporting was protected by the fair report privilege and, in any event, was substantially true.
When Celebrity Doctors Aren’t Celebrities: The Public Figure Question in Colker v. Callis
Kylie M. HuffA federal judge in Connecticut has ruled that a defamation action brought by a celebrity doctor associated with WWE founder Vince McMahon may proceed.
Ohio Supreme Court Won’t Let Trial Judge Dim the Lights on Courtroom Coverage
Griffin R. Reyelts and Melissa L. WattThe case arose from the media's coverage of high-profile trials of former FirstEnergy Corp. executives Charles Jones and Mike Dowling, who were charged for their alleged roles in a 2019 Ohio House Bill 6 bribery scandal.
Arizona Trial Court Denies Motions to Dismiss The Intercept’s Suit Seeking Government Surveillance Records
Heather MurrayThe suit could have significant implications for the press and the public’s ability to access public records stored with entities performing a governmental function.
Oklahoma Supreme Court Issues Landmark Decision Requiring Public Access to Jail Altercation Video that Led to Inmate’s Death
Anna Kaul and Kaitlin GurneyThe Supreme Court of Oklahoma, in two decisions issued in November 2025 and March 2026, held that public trusts operating detention centers do not qualify as law enforcement agencies under the Oklahoma Open Records Act, and therefore are not entitled to more limited disclosure requirements.
SLAPPs as a Tool to Silence the Press: How Brazil Is Responding to a Growing Threat
Simone Lahorgue NunesRaising public awareness about SLAPPs – and about the threat they pose to democratic debate – is a crucial first step. Only by acknowledging the problem can Brazil move toward a more robust legal framework capable of safeguarding the right to inform, and to be informed, on matters of public interest.
North Carolina Federal Court Upholds State Ban on Ballot Selfies
Sydney GriffithIn Hogarth v. Bell, the court narrowed the case to the plaintiff’s in-booth conduct, treated the polling place as a nonpublic forum, and upheld the challenged statutes as reasonable, viewpoint-neutral restrictions.
Ten Questions to a Media Lawyer
Rebecca Hughes ParkerNew York lawyer on her start in the business, the relationship between sports and law, British mysteries and more.