Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn

Appellant

Cox Broadcasting Corp.

Appellee

Martin Cohn

Appellant's Claim

That a television station, newspaper, or other media outlet has the right to make public the name of a crime victim, if it was obtained through standard access to public documents.

Chief Lawyer for Appellant

Kirk McAlpin

Chief Lawyer for Appellee

Stephen A. Land

Justices for the Court

Harry A. Blackmun, William J. Brennan, Jr., Warren E. Burger, William O. Douglas, Thurgood Marshall, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Potter Stewart, Byron R. White (writing for the Court)

Justices Dissenting

William H. Rehnquist

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

3 March 1975

Decision

Struck down the Georgia statute that permitted the late victim's parent to sue for damages.

Related Cases

• Craig v. Harney, 331 U.S. 367 (1947).
• New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964).

Sources

Findlaw. http://www.findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html

Sources

Knappman, Edward W., ed. Great American Trials. Detroit, MI: Visible Ink Press, 1994.

Further Readings

• Editor & Publisher, May 18, 1991, pp. 49-52; May 25, 1991, p. 32; August 13, 1994, p. 48.
• Johnson, John W., ed. Historic U.S. Court Cases, 1690-1990: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing, 1992.
• Ms., July/August 1991, pp. 102-103.
• New York Times, March 4, 1975; March 6, 1975.
• Time, December 30, 1991, p. 61.
• Village Voice, December 21, 1991.