The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press provides free legal guides and resources to help reporters understand their rights.

The Open Government Guide is a complete compendium of information on every state’s open records and open meetings laws.Each state’s section is arranged according to a standard outline, making it easy to compare laws in various states. If you’re a new user of this guide, be sure to read the Introduction to the Open Government Guide.. …

Dec 12, 2024 · The Reporters Committee, joined by more than 100 media organizations, continued to urge Congress to pass the PRESS Act, a bipartisan shield bill that would establish robust federal protections for the newsgathering rights of journalists.. In letters sent to lawmakers in June and October, the Reporters Committee emphasized the need for legislation that would bar the federal government from ...

Dec 8, 2023 · Clockwise from top left: RCFP Executive Director Bruce D. Brown moderating a panel discussion at the National Constitution Center’s First Amendment Summit (Courtesy of the National Constitution Center); the Marion County Record (AP photo/John Hanna); Jeff German (Photo by K.M. Cannon, Las Vegas Review-Journal); Glenn Cook, executive editor, and Rachel Aston, photographer, for the Las Vegas ...

6 days ago · A federal district court in Louisiana has blocked the state from enforcing a law that makes it a crime to approach within 25 feet of a law enforcement officer after being told to stay back, concluding that the statute is unconstitutionally vague and “allows for arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.”

Jan 4, 2019 · The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is excited to share that we launched our website with a fresh, updated design, improved navigation, and a clearer focus on what we do — defend the legal rights of newsgatherers. Our new website has been a year in the making, and our amazing partners at Alley […]

The Reporters Committee regularly hosts trainings for journalists and newsrooms covering a variety of topics. Below are some examples of the trainings we do. If you would like to set up a training for your newsroom, contact us. How to Know When You Need a Lawyer Learn from experienced attorneys about how to identify when […]

The Local Legal Initiative provides local news organizations with the direct legal services they need to pursue enterprise and investigative stories in their communities. Reporters Committee attorneys are currently based in five states — Colorado, Indiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and …

Oct 18, 2024 · The Reporters Committee regularly files friend-of-the-court briefs and its attorneys represent journalists and news organizations pro bono in court cases that involve First Amendment freedoms, the newsgathering rights of journalists and access to public information. Stay up-to-date on our work by signing up for our newsletters and following us on Bluesky, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

The First Amendment Handbook provides a basic primer on the laws affecting reporters’ rights to gather and disseminate news.