Opinion · Supreme Court of the United States

Wisconsin Department of Revenue v. Midwestern Gas Transmission Co.

58 L. Ed. 2d 670

Type
Opinion
Court
Supreme Court of the United States
Jurisdiction
Federal
Date
1978-11-27
Topic
general

recognizing that majority of Supreme Court found no First Amendment privilege | relying on Branzburg in holding that “no weighing or balancing of societal interests” is required to determine that a journalist has no privilege to withhold information from a grand jury | abandoning holding of Mitchell v. Laird, 488 F.2d 611, 614 (D.C.Cir.1973 | labor dispute involved; picketing and sympathy strike not enjoinable because non-struck railroad has common interest with struck railroad by virtue of railroads' participation in strike insurance plan | important interest of press in confidentiality of sources, though not constitutional, must be weighed against criminal defendant’s constitutional right to a fair trial | labor dispute involved; picketing and sympathy strike not enjoinable because non- struck railroad has common interest with struck railroad by virtue of railroads’ participation in strike insurance plan | sixth amendment right to cross-examine overrides state reporter’s shield law | refused to apply first-amendment privilege in criminal investigation

Citator

Cited by
50 opinions

Sup. Ct. Wis. Certiorari denied.

Mr. Justice Stewart, Mr. Justice White, and Mr. Justice Blackmun would grant certiorari.