Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Wikileaks Judge Reverses His Own Injunction

In 'oops!' moment, jurist says original ruling was likely unconstitutional

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 1, 2008 7:20 AM CST

(Newser) – The judge who (tried to) shut down Wikileaks by issuing an injunction against the whistleblowing site has changed his mind and lifted the order, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Judge Jeffrey White said his original order, designed to protect a Swiss Bank's information, raised "serious questions of prior restraint and possible violations of the First Amendment."

White's original order was widely criticized and had little practical effect anyway since disabling the wikileaks.org domain didn't actually prevent access to the site's document stash. White noted that there was "a definite disconnect between the evolution of our constitutional jurisprudence and modern technology" when it came to dealing with an entity like Wikileaks, which has no formal president or physical headquarters.

A federal judge lifted an injunction and restraining order against whistleblower site Wikileaks yesterday, reversing his earlier judgement. (Shutter Stock)

Wikileaks has no president, headquarters, or formal leadership structure. The federal judge who lifted the injunction against it mused on the difficulties courts face in trying to deal with such entities. (Wikileaks)

The ACLU was among the most vocal critics of a decision to shut down whistleblowing site Wikileaks to protect a Swiss bank's information. ((c) scottfeldstein)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Arizona Bill Would Restrict Teachers' Speech

Proposed legislation would punish those who violate FCC standards

(NEWSER) - Arizona doesn't want its teachers cussing in class—and new proposed legislation would actually make it illegal to do so. GOP state lawmakers are behind Senate Bill 1467, which would require public school teachers to adhere to the FCC's TV and radio standards. That means certain limits on obscene, indecent, or profane language, the Arizona Republic reports. One teacher notes that the bill applies to teachers' language not just in the classroom, but even if they are with a colleague. More»

Occupy Los Angeles Protesters Can Avoid Trials...

...by taking a $355 class on free speech

(NEWSER) - To avoid court trials, all many arrested members of Occupy Los Angeles have to do is pay $355 … for a course on free speech. Protesters who opt to take this route will apparently learn that "the First Amendment is not absolute," as a city attorney explains, adding that the Supreme Court has granted the government the power to regulate the use of free speech in certain circumstances. But considering the fact that arrested demonstrators were exercising "their lawful right to protest nonviolently," one civil rights attorney who has worked with them tells the LA Times that the class is "patronizing." More»

Judge: Blogger Is Not a Journalist

Woman ordered to pay $2.5M for online defamation

(NEWSER) - In what could end up being very bad news for outspoken bloggers across America, a federal judge has decided that a blogger was not acting as a journalist when she accused an Oregon lawyer of acting unethically and illegally as a trustee in a bankruptcy hearing. The judge denied Crystal Cox's request for legal protections customarily offered to journalists, and a jury subsequently ordered her to pay $2.5 million for defaming lawyer Kevin Padrick and his company. More»

Court: Call to Shoot Obama Is Free Speech

Court clears Walter Bagdasarian for exhorting people to 'shoot the [racial slur]'

(NEWSER) - The First Amendment protects even racists calling for the president’s assassination, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today, overturning the conviction of Walter Bagdasarian. Bagdasarian was convicted of threatening to kill a presidential candidate two weeks ahead of the 2008 election for an online rant in which he called for people to “shoot the n*****,” and predicted that Obama would “have a 50 cal in his head soon,” the LA Times reports. More»

Tennessee Makes Posting 'Distressing' Images Illegal

Constitutional scholars question updated law

(NEWSER) - Constitutional scholars are raising their eyebrows over a new Tennessee law that makes it illegal to “transmit or display” an image online if it would “frighten, intimidate or cause emotional distress.” Doing so is punishable by almost a year in jail or $2,500 in fines. The bill is an update of an old law that made it a crime to directly contact someone by phone or email in a manner that one “reasonably should know” would “cause emotional distress,” Ars Technica explains. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Wikileaks Judge Reverses His Own Injunction

In 'oops!' moment, jurist says original ruling was likely unconstitutional

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Internet • free speech • ACLU • First Amendment • whistleblowers • WikiLeaks • Julius Baer Group

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Arizona Bill Would Restrict Teachers' Speech

Proposed legislation would punish those who violate FCC standards

Occupy Los Angeles Protesters Can Avoid Trials...

...by taking a $355 class on free speech

Judge: Blogger Is Not a Journalist

Woman ordered to pay $2.5M for online defamation

Court: Call to Shoot Obama Is Free Speech

Court clears Walter Bagdasarian for exhorting people to 'shoot the [racial slur]'

Tennessee Makes Posting 'Distressing' Images Illegal

Constitutional scholars question updated law

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Wikileaks Judge Reverses His Own Injunction

In 'oops!' moment, jurist says original ruling was likely unconstitutional

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Internet • free speech • ACLU • First Amendment • whistleblowers • WikiLeaks • Julius Baer Group

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Arizona Bill Would Restrict Teachers' Speech

Proposed legislation would punish those who violate FCC standards

Occupy Los Angeles Protesters Can Avoid Trials...

...by taking a $355 class on free speech

Judge: Blogger Is Not a Journalist

Woman ordered to pay $2.5M for online defamation

Court: Call to Shoot Obama Is Free Speech

Court clears Walter Bagdasarian for exhorting people to 'shoot the [racial slur]'

Tennessee Makes Posting 'Distressing' Images Illegal

Constitutional scholars question updated law

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?