Twittering in the courtroom
Saturday, December 12th, 2009It’s been allowed in the US and Australia, with an Australian judge saying: I believe that the public has a legitimate right to be fully informed of proceedings, particularly proceedings such as (the iiNet case), which have attracted considerable public interest. Twittering can serve to inform the public in a more speedy and comprehensive manner […]
Down, Tiger!
Saturday, December 12th, 2009Tiger Woods has obtained an injunction against the publication of some private details in the UK. Media lawyer Mark Stephens suggests that it concerns information that’s being freely reported in the US. If that’s so, the injunction seems futile, and therefore legally unjustifiable. It also seems strategically dopey. It can only serve to achieve something I had thought impossible: […]
Good front page lead for tomorrow’s Sunday Star-Times
Saturday, December 12th, 2009The “high profile businesswoman” who featured in last week’s SST front-page lead because she received interim name suppression on charges of supplying drugs to her dying ex-husband, has now been named. From this report, it seems that her lawyers did not even see fit to contest it further, and the suppression just lapsed. She’s Colleen […]
OIA FYI
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009Speaking of the Law Commission, they’re seeking your views on whether we should be changing our official information laws. Online survey here. You’ll have to be in quickly though: they want the feedback by January [Update: new deadline is 15 February].
Contempt announcement looming
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009At the R v the Internet conference last week Attorney-General Chris Finlayson said there’s a government announcement on the law of contempt looming. A reference to the Law Commission perhaps?
Perhaps he was deprived of oxygen at birth
Monday, November 30th, 2009Here’s the really interesting thing about Stuff’s story about Paul Henry’s comments on Susan Boyle. They’re using a photo that makes Henry appear a bit retarded himself. If you look at him carefully, you can make it out.
There can be only one…
Sunday, November 29th, 2009Britain is toying with abolishing the so-called “multiple publication rule” for defamation, and switching to a US-style “single publication rule”. Under the multiple publication rule, every different publication (ie newspaper copy sold, internet post downloaded, etc) is a separate publication and can be sued upon. This is particularly a problem for online archives, which effectively […]
Fact Suppression
Sunday, November 29th, 2009Which is worse: our name suppression laws, or the media’s coverage of them? Today, the Sunday Star-Times leads with a story headlined “Identity of high profile drug accused kept secret”. The story is about a familiar one: public figure gets name suppression; cue outrage. Never mind that this particular defendant’s name was not suppressed between […]
Best headline of the year
Friday, November 27th, 2009My nomination: The NZ Herald’s Orchestral man hoovers in the dark
Best quote from Sarah Palin’s new book “Going Rogue”
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat? Hat-tip: Slate
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