Subpoena/Legal Order

Total Incidents: 243

Pending subpoenas

11

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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

Ohio editor charged with wiretapping after publishing obtained court recording
1. Arrest/Criminal Charge
2. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

December 14, 2023

Date of Incident

October 31, 2022

Location

Waverly, Ohio

Targets

Derek Myers (Scioto Valley Guardian)
Editor’s laptop, cellphone seized following publication of courtroom recording
1. Equipment Search or Seizure
2. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

December 14, 2023

Date of Incident

October 28, 2022

Location

Waverly, Ohio

Targets

Derek Myers (Scioto Valley Guardian)
KC broadcast station subpoenaed for unaired interview footage
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Date of Incident

October 26, 2022

Location

Topeka, Kansas

Targets

KMBC-TV
Investigative reporter subpoenaed in lawsuit against Maui County, officer
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

January 20, 2023

Date of Incident

October 13, 2022

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii

Targets

Lynn Kawano (Hawaii News Now)
Boston Globe editor subpoenaed for testimony in Harvard admissions bribery case
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

December 13, 2022

Date of Incident

October 11, 2022

Location

Boston, Massachusetts

Targets

Joshua Miller (Boston Globe)
Devices illegally seized in investigation of reporter’s murder, Review-Journal argues
1. Equipment Search or Seizure
2. Subpoena/Legal Order
Updated on

October 16, 2024

Date of Incident

September 3, 2022

Location

Las Vegas, Nevada

Targets

Jeff German (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Judge quashes subpoena of opinion editor as part of Flint water suit
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Date of Incident

September 1, 2022

Location

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Targets

Brendan Clarey (Detroit News)
Two Detroit News editors subpoenaed as part of Flint water suit
1. Subpoena/Legal Order
Date of Incident

September 1, 2022

Location

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Targets

Gary Miles (Detroit News)

Go to Incidents Database

Articles About Subpoena/Legal Order

It’s about Fox News, sure, but election 2020 subpoenas seek to unravel fraudulent claims

Incidents so far this year as documented by the US Press Freedom Tracker

Published

April 28, 2023

Written by

Kirstin McCudden
More than a dozen journalists subpoenaed so far this year

Published

July 29, 2022

Written by

Kirstin McCudden
Another record year for press freedom violations in the US

Published

January 12, 2022

Written by

Kirstin McCudden

Learn More About Our Categories

Arrest/Criminal Charge Assault Border Stop Chilling Statement Denial of Access Equipment Damage Equipment Search or Seizure Leak Case Prior Restraint Subpoena/Legal Order Other Incident