Practice Areas

First Amendment and FOIA

Any communications entity, regardless of medium, owes some of its livelihood to the First Amendment. Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC. represents major trade associations and content providers in the newspaper and Internet publishing fields and assists broadcast, cable, and other communications clients on a host of issues related to the First Amendment and the Freedom of Information Act. Our attorneys have significant expertise in all areas related to the First Amendment and Freedom of Information Act, including:

Advocacy before the United States Congress and state legislatures regarding legislation that would restrict the ability to gather or publish news and information
Prepublication and prebroadcast review regarding issues of potential legal concern such as defamation, invasion of privacy, and copyright and trademark infringement
Drafting and filing of amicus briefs on issues of prime concern to the future of free expression and freedom of the press in state, federal and international tribunals, including the United States Supreme Court, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the European Court of Human Rights
Drafting and prosecution of requests for information under the federal Freedom of Information Act and similar state laws through executive branch agencies and court appeals
Advising clients on access to governmental proceedings and court documents
Providing counseling to client staff on the implementation of major court decisions, legislation, or regulatory changes that would affect newsgathering and publishing, including on-site training sessions by Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth attorneys
Creating and implementing newsroom policies to better avoid legal complications in areas such as protection of confidential sources and information and correction or retraction of content errors