MediaLawLetter November 2005

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MLRC

MLRC’s Annual Dinner Marks Organizations 25th Anniversary
Panel Discusses Reporters Privilege Issues

2005 Annual Dinner: A Discussion on the Reporter’s Privilege

MLRC Annual Meeting

Defense Counsel Section Annual Meeting

Twenty-five years ago this Saturday
Henry Kaufman Recalls the Founding of LDRC

Legislative Update Shield Law, Cameras in the Supreme Court, Biodefense Office Exempt from FOIA

Ethics Corner: Communicating With the Government Lawyer’s Client

REPORTERS PRIVILEGE

D.C. Cir. and D.D.C.: D.C. Circuit Denies Rehearing of Wen Ho Lee Contempt Citations
District Court Holds Another Reporter in Contempt
Lee v. Dept. of Justice, et al.

Wa. and Utah Shield Law Proposals in Washington and Utah
State Attorneys General Push for New Laws

S.D.N.Y.: Class Action Plaintiffs Overcome Publications’ Qualified Privilege
Confidential Data Critical to Plaintiffs’ Energy Price Fixing Suit
In re Natural Gas Commodity Litigation

LIBEL & PRIVACY

Mass. Super.Ct.: $225,000 Damage Award to Veterinarian in Libel Suit Against Boston Herald
Reilly v. Boston Herald

Texas: Default Judgment Against Texas Weekly in Public Official Libel Suit
County Commissioner Awarded $852,000
Price v. Elite News

Utah: Utah Supreme Court Throws Out Bulk Of Damage Award Against Television Station
Hidden Camera Report Led to False Light and Intrusion Claims
Jensen v. Sawyers

S.D.N.Y.: Court Denies Motions by Condé Nast, Reader’s Digest & Don Foster to Dismiss Claims for Defamation & Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress Brought by Steven Hatfill
Hatfill v. Foster

Ga. App.: University Professor Not a Public Figure
Statements Made in Classroom Not Part of Public Debate on Iraq
Sewell v. Trib Publications, Inc.

W.D. Okla.: Civil Rights and Intrusion Claim Over News Report of Rape Dismissed But Private Facts Claim Survives Motion to Dismiss
Anderson v. Blake

D. Or.: Oregon District Court Reaffirms Breadth of Section 230 Immunity
Promise to Remove Offensive Content Does Not Create Duty
Barnes v. Yahoo! Inc.

N.D. W. Va.: Federal Court Allows Libel Plaintiff to Serve Australian Defendants By E-mail
Defendants Are “Sophisticated Participants in E-Commerce”i
Williams v. Advertising Sex LLC, et al.

N.D. Ill.: Federal Court Dismisses Internet Defamation Action Brought By Vincent “Bo” Jackson
Illinois Court Has No Jurisdiction Over California Paper, Despite Website
Jackson v. The California Newspapers Partnership, et al.

Fla. Cir.: Internet Reports Support Finding That Plaintiff Is a Public Figure
Plaintiff in Euthanasia Controversy Fails to Show Actual Malice
Thomas v. Patton, et al.

N.Y. Sup.: Libel Claim Against KISS Star Survives Motion to Dismiss
VH1 Profile Implied Plaintiff Was “Unchaste”
Ward v. Klein

Cal. Super.: Anti-SLAPP Motion Granted to Strike Defamation Claim Over “Amityville” Movie
Lutz v. Dimension Films, et al.

Fla. Cir. Ct.: Fla. Newspaper Wins Summary Judgment in Libel Action Brought by ESPN Founder
Statements Protected by the Fair Report Privilege
Rasmussen v. Collier County Publishing Co.

E.D. Wis.: Civil Rights Complaint Against Broadcaster Dismissed
Dr. R.C. Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology v. Journal Broadcasting Group

Pa. App.: Pa. Court Affirms Summary Judgment for Newspaper
No Reason to Doubt Sources Statements
Bartlett v. Bradford Publishing

9th Cir.: Ninth Circuit Holds That California Statute Criminalizing False Reports of Police Misconduct is Unconstitutional
Statute Is Not Viewpoint Neutral
Chaker v. Crogan

INTERNATIONAL

UK: UK Parliamentary Committee to Consider England’s Conditional Fee Problem
MLRC Submitted Comments

ACCESS/ FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

D.C. Cir.: Media Groups Seek to Unseal Opinion in Miller Cooper Case
Pages Redacted on the Basis That They Contain Grand Jury Information

Colo.: Newspaper Gains Access to Columbine Journals
Lawfully Seized Material Is Subject to Colorado Open Records Laws
Harris v. Denver Post Corp.

Ill. App.: Closed Pretrial Hearing in High Profile Murder Case Was Error
Court States in Criminal Proceedings, Closure Should Occur Only in Rare Cases
People v. LaGrone

COMMERCIAL SPEECH

Fla.: Pit Bulls and Piranhas and Sharks, Oh My!
Fla. Ct. Holds Animal Depictions in Lawyer Ads Are Unprotected by the 1st Amendment
The Florida Bar v. Pape