Code of Alabama
Ala. Code § 12-21-142 (2026)
Exemption of News-Gathering Persons from Disclosing Sources.
✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
No person engaged in, connected with or employed on any newspaper, radio broadcasting station or television station, while engaged in a news-gathering capacity, shall be compelled to disclose in any legal proceeding or trial, before any court or before a grand jury of any court, before the presiding officer of any tribunal or his agent or agents or before any committee of the Legislature or elsewhere the sources of any information procured or obtained by him and published in the newspaper, broadcast by any broadcasting station, or televised by any television station on which he is engaged, connected with or employed.
(Acts 1935, No. 253, p. 649; Code 1940, T. 7, §370; Acts 1949, No. 376, p. 548.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 15
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1980–2026 · leading case: Price v. Time, Inc., 416 F.3d 1327 (11th Cir. 2005).
Price v. Time, Inc., 416 F.3d 1327 (11th Cir. 2005). “The Alabama law question centers around that state’s shield statute, Ala.Code § 12-21-142; more specifically, the question is whether the word “newspaper” in the statutory phrase “newspaper, radio broadcasting station or television station” ought to be construed to include…”
Price v. Time, Inc., 304 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (N.D. Ala. 2004). “Ala.Code § 12-21-142 (1975) (1995 Replacement Volume).”
Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. Hepps, 475 U.S. 767 (1986). “[4] We also have no occasion to consider the quantity of proof of falsity that a private-figure plaintiff must present to recover damages.”
In re Grand Jury Subpoena, Miller, 438 F.3d 1141 (D.C. Cir. 2005). “” Ala. Code § 12-21-142 . Alaska’s statutes protect only the “reporter,” k category limited to “person[s] regularly engaged in the business of collecting or writing news for publication or presentation to the public, through a news organization.”
Glenn R. Funk v. Scripps Media, Inc., 570 S.W.3d 205 (Tenn. 2019). “" See Ala. Code § 12-21-142 (West, Westlaw through Act 2018-579); Alaska Stat.”
In the Matter of Roche, 411 N.E.2d 466 (Mass. 1980). “See Ala. Code § 12-21-142 (1975); Alas. Stat.”
New York Times Co. v. Superior Court, 796 P.2d 811 (Cal. 1990). “, Ala. Code § 12-21-142 ; Alaska Stat. § 09.”
In Re Grand Jury Subpoena, Miller, 438 F.3d 1138 (D.C. Cir. 2005). “” Ala. Code § 12-21-142 . Alaska’s statutes protect only the “reporter,” a category limited to “person[s] regularly engaged in the business of collecting or writing news for publication or presentation to the public, through a news organization.”
United States v. Jeffrey Sterling, 724 F.3d 482 (4th Cir. 2013). “See Ala.Code § 12-21-142; Alaska Stat. § 09.25.”
Coughlin, James & Coughlin, Patricia, His Wife v. Westinghouse Broad. & Cable Inc., 780 F.2d 340 (3rd Cir. 1986). “10, §§ 4320-4326 (1974); Ill.Ann.Stat. ch. 110, §§ 8-901 to -909 (Smith-Hurd 1984); Ind.”
In Re Paul, 513 S.E.2d 219 (Ga. 1999). “, Ala. Code § 12-21-142 (exempting news-gathering persons from disclosure of sources); see also The Lexington Herald-Leader Co.”
In re Grand Jury Subpoena Miller, 397 F.3d 964 (D.C. Cir. 2005). “” Ala. Code § 12-21-142 . Alaska’s statutes protect only the “repoi'ter,” a category limited to “person[s] regularly engaged in the business of collecting or writing news for publication or presentation to the public, through a news organization.”
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