Connection lost
Server error
Law School Case Briefs
Start by searching for a case name or citation above.
Discover a Random Brief
Florida Star v. B. J. F.
Supreme Court of the United States (1989) | 105 L. Ed. 2d 443; 109 S. Ct. 2603; 491 U.S. 524; 1989 U.S. LEXIS 3120; 16 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1801; 57 U.S.L.W. 4816
TL;DR: A newspaper published a rape victim's name, obtained from a police report. The Supreme Court held that a state law imposing civil liability for the publication violated the First Amendment because the information was truthful, lawfully obtained, and the law was not narrowly tailored to a state interest.
Legal Significance: This case established that the First Amendment protects the publication of lawfully obtained, truthful information about matters of public significance unless the punishment is narrowly tailored to serve a state interest of the highest order. It significantly limits privacy-based tort claims against the media.