Isabelle Ringing is a reporter for WAMO-TV. She does a series of reports about the dangers of dining out. Anne Nonimous is a foodie who has lots of friends in the restaurant community and shares with Ringing the secret that servers at one restaurant give their friends free food, then slip the charges on to large-party bills where multiple customers are unlikely to inspect the check. Nonimous insists Ringing protect her identity, which she agrees to do. The restaurant owner sees the story and decides to fire all the wait staff. One of the fired servers wants to compel Ringing to testify in a civil suit against the owner. There is a shield law in the state, but she will be compelled to testify.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The major difference between this case and a criminal case is that a criminal defendant has a constitutional right to a fair trial. That includes the right to compel testimony. There is no such right in a civil trial. A state shield law will protect the reporter, of course, unless the journalist actually is one of the litigants.

Isabelle Ringing Is a Reporter for WAMO-TV