Media law is ever changing and this index will strive to keep you abreast of developments in this complex and important area of journalism.
Our fortnightly column looking at the latest law issues, written by specialist media lawyers from Foot Anstey, also appears here.
The Basingstoke Gazette has successfully persuaded a crown court judge to lift a restriction banning the identification of an eight-year-old who had been attacked by a dog. Dana Breslin, from Oakridge, Basingstoke, was left with scarring to her ear and
The Crown Prosecution Service has slapped a ban on prosecutors and police from giving the press and media material used in evidence at trials. Contacts have previously supplied reporters with transcripts, closed-circuit television footage and videotapes of interviews with suspects
The role of the regional press was key to a decision by law lords to lift reporting restrictions in a murder case later this month. The Romford Recorder was backed by three national newspaper groups in a battle to have
Prosecution evidence material from court trials could be released to the press after all, following a partial climbdown by the Crown Prosecution Service on a ban imposed last month. Interview transcripts, still from video footage and photos used in court
The Edinburgh Evening News and the Press and Journal in Aberdeen look set to face trial after denying criminal charges relating to the alleged identification of a boy accused of murder. At separate hearings this week Scotsman Publications Ltd, publishers
Reporter Karl Grafton had an uncomfortable encounter when an irate man tried to get him to leave an inquest he was covering. The Exmouth Journal man explained why he was entitled to stay – and was backed up by the
A line-up of top speakers has been announced for the annual Law for Journalists conference which is to be held in London on November 26. Speakers will include Andrew Caldecott QC; John Battle, head of compliance at ITN; Marcus Partington,
Your article, Paper wins right to name and shame despite secrecy bid is not entirely accurate.
Allegations on the Sunday Herald’s online message board have led to the paper paying out £25,000 to politician Lord George Robertson. The money was an out-of-court agreement reached after Lord Robertson had demanded £200,000 damages for defamation. The anonymous message
The Swindon Evening Advertiser has successfully overturned a banning order on the address of a couple facing child pornography charges. It claimed the order, imposed under Section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act, would leave the paper open to
South Wales Argus editor Gerry Keighley has spoken out after the paper was banned from naming a man who admitted makingand possessing more than 100 indecent images of children on his computer. Gerry Keighley The judge at the man’s trial
The Somerset County Gazette has successfully fought off an attempt to ban it identifying a 17-year-old gang leader given an anti-social behaviour order. The victory for press freedom was a case of third time lucky for the Taunton-based Newsquest title.
Details of teenage tearaways charged with breaching anti-social behaviour orders could be more easily reported in the Daily Echo in future after the police pledged to support applications to lift automatic banning orders. Dorset Police has told the Bournemouth-based newspaper
An online community newspaper has “closed for good” after an injunction effectively closed the publication. The Thamesmead Gazette was a 40-page weekly tabloid until 1995 when it became an exclusively Internet production. Staffed by volunteers in south-east London, it was
Press Association media law specialist Mike Dodd has qualified as a barrister and been called to the Bar at Middle Temple. Mike, (55), who has been a journalist for 36 years, studied part-time for his law degree at Thames Valley
Bath Chronicle reporter Aliya Frostick stood up in court to convince magistrates to allow a ten-year-old tearaway to be named. Bath magistrates, following Aliya’s compelling argument, ruled that the youngster, who would normally enjoy anonymity when appearing in court, should