A victory for the freedom of press – which is the right to publish and disseminate information, thoughts, and opinions without restraint or censorship as guaranteed under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – was achieved last week when the DOJ formally banned the use of subpoenas, warrants and court orders to seize reporters’ records, notes and/or testimony to uncover confidential sources. This goes a long way to recognize the important – and some say crucial – role the press plays in our esteemed democracy. This policy does have exceptions, of course, but it is certainly a step in the right direction so as to ensure minimal censorship on the right to free press by our government.
SQ Attorneys is a Washington State criminal defense law firm comprised of two seasoned criminal defense lawyers, Greg Schwesinger and Saad Qadri. Although the firm does not support or otherwise condone criminal behavior, the criminal attorneys that make up the SQ team certainly realize that sometimes good people make bad choices. Some crimes like DUI don’t even include a ‘state of mind’ element. The government has simply legislated that certain behavior – regardless of the person’s intent or knowledge – is illegal. In short, some crimes don’t require ‘mens rea’. If you or a loved one is cited for a crime, regardless of type, don’t despair, contact a qualified criminal defense attorney, like the ones that make up the team at SQ Attorneys, to assist you in navigating the criminal justice system. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 or (206) 441-0900.
