Note : This page covers information specific to Washington. See the section on Protecting Sources and Source Material for more general information. Washington state has a shield law that protects the identity of confidential sources and other materials collected or prepared...
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DMLP Staff - 03/03/2008 - 2:55pm - 0 comments -
Conversion is a tort that exposes you to liability for damages in a civil lawsuit. It applies when someone intentionally interferes with personal property belonging to another person. To make out a conversion claim, a plaintiff must establish four elements: First, that the...
DMLP Staff - 03/03/2008 - 5:38pm - 0 comments -
If you receive documents or other information relating to national security from a government employee (or other person who is authorized to access government documents and information), you could be criminally prosecuted for conspiring with that government employee to...
DMLP Staff - 03/03/2008 - 5:45pm - 0 comments -
There are a few simple things to keep in mind in order to minimize your risk of a lawsuit or criminal prosecution when acquiring documents and other property for newsgathering purposes: Before you take possession of any documents or other personal property, you should get...
DMLP Staff - 03/03/2008 - 5:50pm - 0 comments -
"Freedom of Information" ("FOI") is a general term for the laws — sometimes called "sunshine laws" — and principles that govern the public’s right to access government records. FOI helps the public keep track of its government’s actions, from...
DMLP Staff - 04/01/2008 - 7:11pm - 0 comments -
Federal, state, and local governments often act through agencies, boards, committees, and other government "bodies." The most familiar examples of these kinds of government bodies are found at the local level -- they include school boards, city councils, boards of...
DMLP Staff - 04/01/2008 - 7:14pm - 0 comments -
If you are interested in information contained in records retained by the President of the United States or the U.S. Congress, you should be aware that neither Congress nor the President are covered by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Instead, both the President and...
DMLP Staff - 04/01/2008 - 7:16pm - 0 comments -
If you’re hunting for information, consider a visit to the courthouse, where you can sift through resource-rich court records or attend (sometimes colorful) court proceedings. Courts are centers for dispute resolution. They are public forums in which societal norms and...
DMLP Staff - 04/01/2008 - 7:19pm - 0 comments -
When seeking government information, it is important for you to be able to distinguish between federal , state , and local government bodies. The situation is more complex than it might otherwise seem because of the U.S. system of federalism . The concept of federalism is...
DMLP Staff - 04/01/2008 - 7:25pm - 0 comments -
If you are seeking records held by the United States government, you will need to become familiar with the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"), which was enacted in 1966. FOIA provides access to the public records of all departments, agencies, and offices of the...
DMLP Staff - 04/01/2008 - 7:33pm - 0 comments -
