Course overview
The course will offer an understanding of the Canadian legal system and the workings of legal proceedings, aimed at journalists reporting on the Courts. It will explore the ways in which reporters cover the courts and sometimes become involved in issues over access and openness. The course will cover the legal restrictions upon reporters, including defamation, contempt, publication bans, privacy, intellectual property and freedom of expression issues. Current cases in the news as well as those affecting journalists, along with example stories raising legal issues will be used as lesson examples.
The course uses a combination of instruction on the law and working through practical examples. The objective is for students to learn to spot and deal with the legal issues in each situation from an early stage and to report on legal matters with an accurate context. Discussion about important legal and philosophical questions is encouraged.