Journalism jobs and news from Holdthefrontpage.co.uk

Media Law

Get this page as a RSS feed What is RSS?

The Law Column: When does bulletin board banter become defamatory?
Judge's rule could have stark implications for future libel claims over online comments

Newspapers battle to name anonymous paedophile
News and Observer challenge 'unlawful' Contempt of Court order

Call for radical reform of libel law
UN Committee recommends overhaul in Human Rights report

Manslaughter and kidnap case naming bans overturned
Two Westcountry titles win fight to name and shame teenage thugs

The Law Column: Is the Prince's prostate fair game for conjecture?
Prince Philip's privacy – and a legal round-up from "the quieter news months"

'Stark implications' of Mosley privacy judgment
Verdict is blow to press freedom says HTFP legal expert

PA protest sees judge reverse reporting ban
Couple accused of running a brothel lose fight to keep address and photo out of the papers

Acid assault teenager named in court
Journalists win right to name 17-year-old who threw acid in gardener's face

The Law Column: Shifting sands of press photography and privacy
Problems for picture desks with new PCC and privacy rulings over video and still footage

Journalist's bail hearing protest after entry ban
Letter to judge successfully secures reporter court coverage

Agency boss helps reporters lift the lid on council spending
Four-week council audits provide rich source of news

The Law Column: Judges rebuff principled stand by terror journalist
Shiv Malik's high profile campaign found little favour with court judges

The Law Column: Do Google robots infringe press copyright?
Recent Belgian case on news aggregation could have implications for UK media

Minister in bid to settle court lists wrangle
Magistrates court decisions should be made available electronically says Justice Department

Media intervention in court secures identification of 'home alone' woman as child's mother
PA and the Lincs Echo persuade judge to lift reporting restriction in neglect case

Online publication risks drawn into focus by French litigation
High-profile claims against British newspapers re-open debate

Press legal advisor launches new media law book
Media Law Manual contains more than 50 guides to help with legally-safe reporting

Cops' spend on PR is £40m a year
Plus: Barrie Williams returns to Nottingham, news on media law conference and more in brief

Photographers beware of growing privacy laws
Harry Potter author ruling could spell new age of litigation over newspaper pictures of children

SAS soldier named as Hereford Times beats court ID ban
Original naming ban was challenged as unlawful

Risks of football journalism and 'insolent' contumelious reporting
Sports news and comment attracts spate of litigation

Reporter wins fight to publish photo in child sex offences trial
Judge quashes defence plea to prevent photo publication after successful challenge by agency newsman

Can Karen Matthews get a fair trial?
Bold reporting of the Karen Matthews case raises contempt issues again

Echo reporter's advice helps family overturn court anonymity order on rapist
Family wanted people to know what paedophile had done

Govt climbdown on jail threat for hacks who breach data protection laws
Society of Editors welcomed the lifting of the threat of jail

Press turns screw against tougher data protection penalties
More on data protection legislation and journalists - plus today's media law round-up

Journalists' union magazine goes digital
NUJ publishes monthly title only online, Times launches photography competition and more news in brief

Plans for inquest press gag thrown out
Government backs down as coroners and media oppose possible new reporting restrictions

'Goth' murderers named thanks to court appeal by media
Press sent judge a note asking if he would lift anonymity orders on the teenagers

Press bid to name Asbo teen ends in failure
Court maintains ban on Argus naming youth – even though it has already identified him

How to challenge a Contempt of Court Act postponement order
Reporters should challenge orders which can hold up reporting of trials for months

Newspaper turns down BNP advertising
Croydon weekly says no to political party, nine-year-old hailed hero by Scottish judge and more news in brief

Newspaper challenge overturns 'invalid' order in toddler death case
Herald wins battle to fully report details of ex-soldier's murder trial - but has to meet legal costs

Former Lord Chancellor advises trimming down web archives to cut contempt risk
Plus: Bursary for journalism student, reporter in ring with female boxer - and more news in brief

High-profile secrecy orders reveal limits of open justice
Rule 39 gag in publicly-heard civil cases could be more widely used

News & Journal caught up in legal spat over village post office closure
Silence from media execs as press watchdog and the lawyers get involved

Advertiser wins fight to lift 'unlawful' reporting restrictions on hammer assault verdicts
Jury's guilty call nearly went unheard after Contempt of Court ruling

Courts reminded to provide adequate seating for journalists
"Public gallery not good enough", says PA - plus tribunal restrictions change, and more news in brief

Common sense prevails for media access to court papers
"Public access to judicial review papers must be equivalent to the access granted in private law suits"

Reporter's notes confiscated during trial
Apology due after usher takes notebook to keep a record of journalist's shorthand

Drunken mother named in cruelty case after appeal by Mercury
"Magistrates should not be imposing orders willy-nilly" - editor

Second-guessing contempt, and fanciful libel – "love it!"
Contempt laws are still raising interesting questions for the media

Sheffield graduate lifts prestigious Cudlipp journalism award
Plus: ID of defendant to remain secret, sensitive inquests debate - and more news in brief

Evening Post among trio to apologise for breaking Newlove trial reporting restriction
Judge decides against referring one of the cases to the Attorney General

Security notice issued to press agency in Army officer exposure case
Agency boss receives first DA-Notice after captain caught on camera with trousers down

Nine-month press fight to name paedophile is finally won
Journalist's request for open reporting is upheld by senior judge

'Notorious teenage thug' named after press overturns court order
"It's necessary and important that the public know who this particular young offender is" - reporter

Reporter wins court battle to name teenage vandal
Gazette news man backed by council and police as paper exposes graffiti yob

Pressure group claims inquest proposal could impose secrecy
A campaign group is claiming that the Home Secretary will have "extraordinary powers" to order that inquests should be held in secret

Law update: Readers' letters and follow-ups 'could be privileged'
The traditional letters page could attract special defence in libel cases

Politicians back newspaper's call for open justice over Asbo youth
Court banned The Argus from naming teenager, after previously agreeing his identity could be published

Teen's ID ban imposed after name had already appeared in print
Magistrates perform u-turn on naming of 15-year-old Asbo boy

Newspaper banned from printing ASBO teen's photo for his own protection
Order made by court is "convoluted, difficult to understand and unlawful" - lawyer

Ban on naming gay security guard overturned by reporter
News agency hack battles barristers to lift reporting restriction

Scathing editorial after Post is gagged by legal process
Teenage flasher remains anonymous; Argus video sparks investigation and more news in brief

Media Law Stories 2007

Media Law Stories 2006

Media Law Stories 2005

Media Law Stories 2004

Media Law Stories 2003

Media Law Stories 2002

Media Law Stories 2001