ABA votes to support federal shield law

The American Bar Association House of Delegates today voted to support a federal reporters’ shield law. Michael S. Greco of Boston, who became ABA president today, said:

"Our action today acknowledges the important role of journalists and the media in providing the public with significant information to ensure an informed democracy, and reporters’ need to be able to protect sources in order to get that information."

The ABA would allow the shield to be lifted upon three conditions:

• The information sought from a journalist is essential to a critical issue.
• All reasonable alternative sources for the information have been exhausted.
• The need for the reporter’s information clearly outweighs the public interest in free flow of information.