Media & Communications Law

Some internet customers may lose service as a result of 6th Circuit decision; FCC won’t appeal

Cities seeking to expand their own broadband networks to provide internet service for more customers fear a federal appeals court decision will embolden states to pass new laws that curb municipal efforts and eliminate competition. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals ruled earlier this month that the Federal…

Aug 30, 2016 11:39 AM CDT

In ‘huge blow’ for FCC, appeals court rules for states limiting municipal broadband

A federal appeals court has ruled against the Federal Communications Commission in its bid to stop states from limiting the expansion of internet service provided by cities. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals ruled (PDF) against the FCC on Wednesday, report Ars Techica, the Hill, the Memphis Business…

Aug 10, 2016 4:19 PM CDT

‘Art of the Deal’ author gets letter from Trump lawyer after giving negative interviews

Lawyers for Donald Trump and the ghostwriter of his book The Art of the Deal have fired off some strongly worded letters after the book author ominously suggested a Trump presidency could “lead to the end of civilization.” The Trump Organization’s chief legal officer, Jason Greenblatt, wrote a cease-and-desist letter…

Jul 25, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

Citing internet impact, 6th Circuit says federal law doesn’t require automatic release of mug shots

The Freedom of Information Act doesn’t require automatic release of a federal suspect’s mug shot to the media, a federal appeals court has ruled in an en banc decision. The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 9-7 on Thursday that suspects have a privacy interest in preventing disclosure…

Jul 15, 2016 8:30 AM CDT

50 years later, Freedom of Information Act still chipping away at government’s secretive culture

On Independence Day 50 years ago, President Lyndon Baines Johnson reluctantly signed into law the Freedom of Information Act. President Johnson thought it was terrible legislation and considered a veto after it was passed by Congress. He signed the bill into law on his Texas ranch instead of at a…

Jul 1, 2016 4:30 AM CDT

Legal challenges over online reviews seek to separate fact from fiction

Robert Allen Lee desperately needed a dentist. Dr. Stacy Makhnevich at Aster Dental in New York City was able to squeeze Lee in to treat his toothache. When Lee arrived, the dentist required he sign a "mutual agreement to maintain privacy"—a confidentiality agreement with a nondisparagement clause that waives patients'…

Jul 1, 2016 4:20 AM CDT

Judge tosses frat members’ defamation suit against Rolling Stone over retracted rape article

A federal judge in Manhattan has tossed a lawsuit filed by three fraternity members at the University of Virginia who claim Rolling Stone magazine defamed them in a false article describing a gang rape of a woman called “Jackie.” U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel dismissed the in a Tuesday…

Jun 29, 2016 12:22 PM CDT

Law360 settles state AG probe, will stop requiring new editorial hires to sign noncompete agreements

Law360 has settled a New York state attorney general probe by agreeing not to require new editorial hires to sign noncompete agreements. The online legal publisher, which is part of LexisNexis Group, said it “voluntarily collaborated with the New York attorney general’s office and reached a mutual agreement regarding the…

Jun 15, 2016 12:00 PM CDT

New trial ordered for Jesse Ventura defamation verdict

A $1.8 million defamation verdict awarded to Jesse Ventura, a former professional wrestler who also served as the governor of Minnesota, has been vacated. The case stems from an alleged altercation with Ventura described in American Sniper, a memoir written by former Navy Seal Chris Kyle. Ventura, whose real name…

Jun 13, 2016 3:43 PM CDT

Appeals court: Yelp must remove defamatory 3rd-party material about lawyer who won defamation case

Yelp must take down third-party material about a lawyer who won a defamation verdict against a former client, a California appeals court has ruled. Although the consumer review website had argued that it is protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act from being held accountable for a third-party…

Jun 13, 2016 10:30 AM CDT

Following Hulk Hogan lawsuit, Gawker seeks Chapter 11 bankruptcy status

Gawker Media has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of New York. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the website has a $7.66 million loan from Silicon Valley Bank, and a credit agreement with VC Partners for $15 million. In the petition filed Friday, the company whose…

Jun 10, 2016 3:00 PM CDT

En banc 4th Circuit OKs tracking cellphone location without a warrant

Eliminating a circuit split, the en banc 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday reversed its own earlier decision by a three-judge panel and held that a warrant is not required for law enforcement to track location information for a subject’s cellphone. Instead, a court order based simply on…

May 31, 2016 4:45 PM CDT

2 cops charged in Freddie Gray case sue top Baltimore prosecutor for defamation

Two Baltimore police officers facing manslaughter charges in the high-profile death in custody of suspect Freddie Gray last year have now filed a civil lawsuit against the chief prosecutor in their case. It asserts causes of action for alleged defamation and invasion of privacy against Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby,…

May 27, 2016 10:05 AM CDT

Lawyer-turned-entrepreneur admits he financed Hulk Hogan’s Gawker suit

A former lawyer who became a Silicon Valley entrepreneur acknowledges he paid roughly $10 million to finance Hulk Hogan’s winning lawsuit against Gawker and says it’s not the only case he has financed. Peter Thiel tells the New York Times DealBook blog that he paid lawyers to find people who…

May 26, 2016 11:00 AM CDT

Media groups, ACLU back lawyer ordered to pay $11K for alerting reporter to upcoming civil trial

Civil liberties and media groups have submitted amicus briefs supporting an Ohio lawyer ordered to pay $11,000 in attorney fees for alerting a reporter to an upcoming civil trial. The briefs filed with the Ohio Court of Appeals argue the sanction imposed on lawyer Peter Pattakos violates the First Amendment…

May 17, 2016 11:22 AM CDT