DC Circuit refuses to rehear reporter contempt case News
DC Circuit refuses to rehear reporter contempt case

[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit [official website] on Tuesday refused to rehear a case in which it held two reporters in contempt [JURIST report] for refusing to reveal confidential sources for an investigation into whether a Bush administration official leaked the name of a covert CIA operative. In the case, New York Times reporter Judith Miller [Wikipedia article] and Time reporter Matthew Cooper were both held in contempt for witholding their sources, and both face jail time. The case stems from a grand jury investigation into whether an administration official outed CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity in the media to retaliate against her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson. Read the court's opinion [PDF text]. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press [advocacy website] has more on reporter shield laws. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.