studentpress.org - It's the Law

Press Law Links

It's the Law

Since 1994, Mike Hiestand of the Student Press Law Center has contributed regular columns on student press legal and ethical issues to ACP and NSPA's Trends newsletters. To keep the valuable advice in those columns alive, studentpress.org has made "It's the Law" columns available here as a resource for student journalists.

For additional student press legal advice and resources, contact the Student Press Law Center at splc@splc.org, visit their website at http://www.splc.org or try one of the links at left.

For more coverage of the student press by ACP and NSPA, visit our Trends in College Media and Trends in High School Media pages.

It's the Law articles: High School

Responding to takedown requests October 15, 2010

The (non-existent) 30-second rule March 15, 2010

Rejecting Ads December 29, 2009

Publishing political endorsements October 2, 2008

Off-campus speech June 2, 2008

It’s the Law: An open letter of apology… January 13, 2008

“Bong Hits” and the Court July 11, 2007

How to include Bart in your book April 30, 2007

Washington Student Free Press Law FAQ February 1, 2007

Plagiarism vs. copyright December 5, 2006

Student media law Legal Bytes, Part 2 July 3, 2006

Student media law Legal Bytes, Part 1 April 28, 2006

Don’t be the punchline of an April Fools’ mistake February 2, 2006

For Web editors: All about OCILLA May 31, 2005

Fighting censorship: A checklist April 4, 2005

Dean v. Utica FAQ February 1, 2005

Off-campus websites: How to stay out of trouble July 1, 2004

Too-good-to-be-true ads: Should you run them? April 1, 2004

Don’t get stung by a sting January 30, 2004

Press law’s (very) Frequently Asked Questions October 6, 2003

Minors: Old enough to know what’s at stake? May 1, 2003

Wooster decision clarifies censorship guidelines February 26, 2003

Fair report privilege: A valuable, pitfall-laden defense February 5, 2003

In censorship battles, students have the power December 31, 2002

Prior review vs. prior restraint June 4, 2002

Supreme Court decision solidifies student press rights March 4, 2002

Balance freedom, responsibility to avoid lawsuits December 10, 2001

Media Law 101 August 22, 2001

Avoid legal pitfalls in changing names of sources March 15, 2001

Understanding “anti-Hazelwood” laws January 23, 2001

Confidentiality issues and advisers October 1, 2000

Misuse of FERPA leads to nameless, faceless publications March 1, 2000

Religious speech in student newspapers: Who’s to say? December 1, 1999

Post-Columbine hysteria threatens student speech September 1, 1999

Freedom of Information Act, open records laws open doors for journalists March 1, 1999

Administrators and online publications: Fear and loathing in cyberspace September 1, 1998

It's the Law articles: College

It’s the Law: Surveying Safely May 20, 2010

When law and ethics collide January 17, 2010

Avoid the traps of e-reporting January 21, 2009

The law of sex (columns) August 12, 2008

Lawyering up April 10, 2008

“Bong Hits” and the Court July 11, 2007

Washington Student Free Press Law FAQ February 1, 2007

Plagiarism vs. copyright December 5, 2006

California leads the way with “anti-Hosty” laws November 1, 2006

Navigating the “double super secret background” minefield May 31, 2006

Living in a post-Hosty world March 2, 2006

Don’t be the punchline of an April Fools’ mistake February 1, 2006

Dark days for college media: Lane v. Simon December 19, 2005

The Hosty v. Carter decision: What it means July 6, 2005

For Web editors: All about OCILLA May 31, 2005

Newspaper theft remains popular form of censorship March 1, 2005

When the adviser is the enemy April 15, 2004

Don’t be frightened by HIPAA January 5, 2004

Student governments, open up November 3, 2003

So you want to go to law school… June 30, 2003

New booklet is definitive word on reporter’s privilege April 2, 2003

The fair report privilege: A valuable, pitfall-laden defense February 5, 2003

Governors State appeals court decision looms December 2, 2002

Responding to libel complaints July 1, 2002

Student media “punishments” take many forms February 28, 2002

Tapping Officials’ Secrets an essential resource December 28, 2001

Media Law 101 August 22, 2001

The learning experience is its own pay, right? May 8, 2001

Is your newsroom safe from searches? February 28, 2001

Questionable ads: Should your paper run them? September 1, 2000

When joke captions get past editors, it’s no laughing matter March 1, 2000

Thanks to website, nonprofits’ financial filings are everybody’s business January 1, 2000

Kincaid decision has far-reaching impact September 1, 1999

Higher Education Act: Q and A May 1, 1999

Two federal court cases threaten student press freedom March 1, 1999

Are you being served? How to handle a subpoena January 1, 1999

Don’t let ethics codes become law November 1, 1998

Keep your cool at “hot” crime scenes September 1, 1998

The articles linked above may not be reprinted elsewhere without permission from the National Scholastic Press Association and Associated Collegiate Press.

National Scholastic Press Association

In 1921, NSPA began helping high school students and teachers improve their publications. Today, that goal remains No. 1.

Go to NSPA

Associated Collegiate Press

The Associated Collegiate Press is the largest and oldest national membership organization for college student media in the United States.

Go to ACP

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