The Missouri Bar news media resources highlighted
Part of The Missouri Bar’s ongoing strategic plan is specific to ensuring that the public has access to timely information about the courts and legal system. However, this is a role that must be shared with the media as well as the judiciary.
In 1972, The Missouri Bar helped form the Missouri Press-Bar Commission to foster increased communication between the judiciary, the bar and the news media. This cooperation has resulted in the development of resources to help reporters accurately cover legal issues and the court system. These resources are grouped in a way that will allow for quick access to essential information to the public in general.
The following is a brief list of the resources available to the public:
From a description of the bar’s role to our budget and governance, anything you might want to know about the statewide legal organization can be found on this page.
The Revised Edition of the News Reporter’s Handbook
A project of the Missouri Press-Bar Commission, this resource is a help to reporters who are covering the courts and wish to better understand court proceedings. Information on where cases start, legal claims that might arise in covering a story, and understanding court opinions are all available through this handbook.
Some terms used in the court system are taken from Latin, while others, written in plain English, may have very specific meanings. From abstract of record to Zurcher v. Stanford Daily, the legal glossary can help provide quick definitions of terms used often in the legal profession.
This guide, authored by volunteer lawyers from the state bar’s Media Law Committee, should be kept within reach of publishers and station managers as it tackles case law that has shaped the rights of the press when reporting the news. This reference contains information on defamation, invasion of privacy, Missouri Sunshine Law and more.
Legal Sources
If you are a reporter, Missouri Bar staff are eager to connect you with the sources and resources you need to provide accurate and thorough coverage of the courts and legal issues. Please contact Farrah Fite, the state bar’s communications director, at ffite@mobar.org or 573-638-2251 to be connected with appropriate legal sources.
For additional information, please visit our page which features all of the bar’s resources for reporters here.