Florida Supreme Court to Decide If Law Enforcement Officers Are Victims in Marsy’s Law Case
The Florida Supreme Court will decide an issue that has broad consequences for holding law enforcement officers accountable.
Sarasota Herald-Tribune Challenges Order Against Identifying Deputies in Fatal Shooting
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune is seeking to overturn an emergency injunction granted by a judge Friday night to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office barring the news organization from publishing the names of two of the deputies involved in a fatal shooting.
Florida Governor Draws Criticism After Limiting Media Access to Bill Signing Ceremony
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed new voting legislation on May 6th. The bill signing was broadcasted live on Fox & Friends, a morning news program on Fox News Channel, but all other media outlets were denied access. The decision drew criticism from media organizations and First Amendment scholars.
Sixth Circuit Moots Memphis Journalist’s First Amendment Case
On April 30th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a lower court’s determination of mootness concerning a local journalist’s claims against the city of Memphis.
First Amendment Coalition Sues California County for Access to COVID Data
On April 22nd, the First Amendment Coalition (FAC), a nonprofit public interest organization, filed a lawsuit against Ventura County in Southern California. FAC alleges the County violated the California Public Records Act (CPRA) after failing to appropriately respond to two requests for information regarding data on COVID-19 outbreaks and deaths, thus violating the right of access under the First Amendment.
Conservative Think Tank Loses Press Access Lawsuit Against Wisconsin Governor
The MacIver Institute sued Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers in 2019 after his office allegedly refused to invite reporters from the think tank’s news arm, MacIver News Service, to press briefings. On April 9th, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit sided with the Governor after finding his office had acted on viewpoint-neutral policies and that MacIver had failed to show evidence that the policy was applied in a discriminatory manner.
Newspapers Put Pressure on Rhode Island Governor To Resume COVID-19 Press Briefings
Since her nomination to then-President-Elect Joe Biden's Cabinet, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo has stopped answering journalists' questions about the pandemic and vaccine distribution. According to The Providence Journal, Raimondo’s last weekly COVID-19 briefing was on December 22, 2020.
Ninth Circuit Reinstates Injunction Barring Federal Agents from Assaulting Journalists
The ninth circuit reinstated a lower court's injunction exempting journalists and legal observers from general dispersal orders. Many reporters say they have been assaulted by federal agents despite remaining several feet away from protests.