FC: Supreme Court sides with 1A over privacy, agrees to hear COPA

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010521/ts/court_tech_pornography_dc_3.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Monday it would hear 
a Justice Department appeal aimed at allowing the federal government to 
enforce a 1998 law intended to protect minors from Internet pornography.
[...]

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http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010521/pl/scotus_taped_call_3.html

Monday May 21 10:56 AM ET
Court Rules on Wiretap Law

By ANNE GEARAN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Ruling in a free speech case with special implications 
for the news media, the Supreme Court said a radio host cannot be sued for 
airing an illegally-taped telephone conversation.

In a 6-3 vote, the court said the First Amendment trumps wiretap laws in 
the case of the host who played a recording made by someone else.

``A stranger's illegal conduct does not suffice to remove the First 
Amendment shield from speech about a matter of public concern,'' Justice 
John Paul Stevens wrote for the majority.

The court's three more conservative members dissented

The court steered clear of a broad ruling on the constitutionality of all 
restrictions on publication of truthful information. Instead, the court 
ruled narrowly on whether a publisher who came by useful information 
legally may be punished because the information was gathered illegally.

The court upheld a lower court ruling in favor of a Pennsylvania radio host 
and others who aired a tape of an intercepted cellular phone call.
[...]




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