Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2739.12 (2026)

Newspaper reporters not required to reveal source of information

✓ current as of May 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section ORCcodes.ohio.gov (official) Justiaon Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

Effective:

October 1, 1953

Latest Legislation:

House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

PDF:

Download Authenticated PDF

No person engaged in the work of, or connected with, or employed by any newspaper or any press association for the purpose of gathering, procuring, compiling, editing, disseminating, or publishing news shall be required to disclose the source of any information procured or obtained by such person in the course of his employment, in any legal proceeding, trial, or investigation before any court, grand jury, petit jury, or any officer thereof, before the presiding officer of any tribunal, or his agent, or before any commission, department, division, or bureau of this state, or before any county or municipal body, officer or committee thereof.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases, 1960–2019 · leading case: Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665 (1972).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Branzburg v. Hayes, 408 U.S. 665 (1972). · cites it 2× “1971-1972); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2739.12 (1954); Pa.”

Glenn R. Funk v. Scripps Media, Inc., 570 S.W.3d 205 (Tenn. 2019). “); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2739.12 (West, Westlaw through File 172 of 132nd Gen.”

United States v. Jeffrey Sterling, 724 F.3d 482 (4th Cir. 2013). · cites it 2× “2 ; Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2739.12 ; Okla. Stat.”

In Re April 7, 1999 Grand Jury Proceedings, 749 N.E.2d 325 (Ohio Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 8× “On the day prior to his scheduled appearance, appellant filed a motion to quash the subpoena, arguing that Ohio’s shield statute, R.C. 2739.12, afforded him protection from forced disclosure of confidential sources utilized by appellant in preparing the article in question.”

In the Matter of Roche, 411 N.E.2d 466 (Mass. 1980). · cites it 2× “2 (1976); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2739.12 (Baldwin 1978); Okla.”

State ex rel. Nat'l Broad. Co. v. Court of Common Pleas, 556 N.E.2d 1120 (Ohio 1990). “Relators also cite R.C. 2739.12, the “reporter’s shield” statute.”

Svoboda v. Clear Channel Commc'ns, Inc., 805 N.E.2d 559 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004). “04, with respect to broadcasters, and R.C. 2739.12, with respect to newspaper reporters.”

Deltec, Inc. v. Dun & Bradstreet, Inc., 187 F. Supp. 788 (N.D. Ohio 1960). · cites it 16× “” The basis for the objection is that such sources are privileged from disclosure by the provisions of Section 2739.12 of the Ohio Revised Code.”

Application of Cepeda, 233 F. Supp. 465 (S.D.N.Y. 1964). “Ohio Rev.Code Ann. § 2739.12 (Page 1953) protects persons “engaged in the work of, or connected with, or employed by any newspaper or any press association.”

State Ex Rel. Shelton v. Firemen & Policemen's Death Benefit Fund, 709 N.E.2d 182 (Ohio Ct. App. 1997). “04 (television and radio reporter’s privilege) and R.C. 2739.12 (newspaper reporter’s privilege).”

Ventura v. Cinti Enquirer (6th Cir. 2005). “for the purpose of gathering, procuring, compiling, editing, disseminating, or publishing news shall be required to disclose the source of any information procured or obtained by such person in the course of his employment, in any legal proceeding.”

Schreiber v. Multimedia of Ohio, Inc., 535 N.E.2d 357 (Ohio Ct. App. 1987). “The persuasiveness of the decision in Fawley is tempered, however, by the cogent concurring opinion of the court’s presiding judge in which he joined in the court’s ultimate disposition, but declined to engage in judicial legislation by extending to noncon-fidential sources and…”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.