Privacy law primer
AnalysisVancouver lawyer Daniel Burnett reviews the law in four provinces with statutes that protect personal privacy.
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Publication bans: What the media can’t say
FeatureHow do publication bans work and why are they imposed? CBC News Online tackles these and other questions about restrictions on media coverage of court cases. By John Bowman and Justin Thompson.
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An online guide to copyright law
BackgrounderIn the simplest terms, “copyright” means “the right to copy.” Only the owner of copyright – usually the creator of the work – can produce or reproduce the work, or permit anyone else to do so. Copyright law rewards and protects your creative endeavour by giving you the sole right to publish or use your…
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Defamation on the Internet
AnalysisVancouver media lawyer David Sutherland explores how defamation law applies to the brave new world of the Internet.
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The case for cameras in the courts
CommentaryCBC lawyer Daniel Henry makes the pitch for camera access to Canada’s courts.
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Journalists and the law
This section contains information, advice and commentary on legal issues that affect how journalists do their jobs.
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N.S. judge opens youth court records
NewsYoung offenders handed an adult sentence for serious crimes not only lose the right to remain anonymous; they should expect pre-sentence and psychological reports filed with the courts to be made public. That’s the finding of a Nova Scotia youth court judge who in May 2006 ordered the release of exhibits tendered at the sentencing…
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CAJ slams attempt to seize reporter’s research
NewsThe Canadian Association of Journalists opposes the Edmonton Police Service’s attempt to seize a reporter’s research into a high-profile murder case. “Journalists are not agents of the state, and police should not be depending on them to provide the information needed for criminal investigations,” CAJ president Paul Schneidereit says in a press release.
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Open justice is best
CommentaryA Toronto Star editorial backs proposals to improve media access to the Ontario courts. Journalists could be allowed to use tape recorders to take notes in the courtroom, and the Internet may be used to notify media outlets of motions to ban publication of evidence. Television cameras may even be permitted to record some hearings.
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British ruling shields ‘responsible journalism’
NewsBritain’s House of Lords has ruled that publishing or broadcasting a report on a matter of intense public interest or importance is not defamatory, even if the story turns out to be false, if the media organization adhered to the standards of “responsible journalism.” The October 2006 ruling expands the scope of the defence of…