Subpoena/Legal Order

Pending subpoenas

11

See incidents →
Subpoenas upheld by judges

7

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Journalists subpoenaed to identify a confidential source

28

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Warrants issued targeting journalists

29

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Telecom companies subpoenaed for journalists’ records

13

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Tech companies subpoenaed for journalists’ records

13

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Data Tracked For This Category

Subpoenas or legal orders requiring journalists to testify in court or produce journalistic records or work product. This category also includes orders targeted at third parties who have access to journalistic records or work product. Because many subpoenas are not publicly reported and legal orders for journalist records are conducted with high levels of secrecy, the numbers in this category are likely to underestimate actual cases.

Recent Incidents

Journalist Jamie Kalven subpoenaed to testify in police officer trial
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

November 28, 2018

Date of Incident

November 16, 2018

Location

Chicago, Illinois

Targets

Jamie Kalven (Independent)
ICE subpoenas law journal editor who published copy of leaked ICE memo
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

February 20, 2020

Date of Incident

October 16, 2018

Location

Fairfax, Virginia

Targets

Daniel Kowalski (Bender's Immigration Bulletin)
- #ICE
Journalist subpoenaed in legal feud over boxing match
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Date of Incident

September 28, 2018

Location

Los Angeles, California

Targets

Lance Pugmire (Los Angeles Times)
Grand jury subpoenas independent journalist for video footage of DC protest
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Date of Incident

September 4, 2018

Location

Washington, District of Columbia

Targets

Luke Kuhn (It's Going Down)
- #white nationalism
Oberlin College subpoenas legal blogger for communications with source
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Date of Incident

July 3, 2018

Location

Syracuse, New York

Targets

Legal Insurrection
Federal judge quashes subpoena of Indiana newspaper’s communications
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Date of Incident

June 27, 2018

Location

Elkhart, Indiana

Targets

South Bend Tribune
Twitter subpoenaed for information of journalists, media outlets
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

March 29, 2021

Date of Incident

June 6, 2018

Location

Washington, District of Columbia

Targets

Cassandra Fairbanks (The Gateway Pundit), Julian Assange (WikiLeaks), Matt Couch (America First Media Group), America First Media Group, The Gateway Pundit, The Washington Times, WikiLeaks
Oberlin College subpoenas local newspaper editor in defamation suit
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

September 18, 2018

Date of Incident

May 30, 2018

Location

Oberlin, Ohio

Targets

Jason Hawk (Oberlin News Tribune)