Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo

Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Pat Tornillo
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued April 17, 1974 Decided June 25, 1974
Full case name	Miami Herald Publishing Company, Division of Knight Newspapers, Incorporated v. Tornillo
Citations	418 U.S. 241 (more) 94 S. Ct. 2831; 41 L. Ed. 2d 730; 1974 U.S. LEXIS 86; 1 Media L. Rep. 1898
Prior history	Appeal from the Supreme Court of Florida
Holding
The Court overturned a Florida state law requiring newspapers to allow equal access to political candidates in the case of a political editorial or endorsement content.
Court membership
Chief Justice Warren E. Burger Associate Justices William O. Douglas · William J. Brennan, Jr. Potter Stewart · Byron White Thurgood Marshall · Harry Blackmun Lewis F. Powell, Jr. · William Rehnquist
Case opinions
Majority	Burger, joined by unanimous
Concurrence	Brennan, joined by Rehnquist
Concurrence	White
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. I

Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974), was a United States Supreme Court case that overturned a Florida state law requiring newspapers to allow equal space in their newspapers to political candidates in the case of a political editorial or endorsement content. The court held that while the statute does not "prevent [newspapers] from saying anything [they] wish" it "exacts a penalty on the basis of the content." Because newspapers are economically finite enterprises, "editors may conclude that the safe course is to avoid controversy," thereby chilling speech. Furthermore, the Court held the exercise of editorial judgment is a protected First Amendment activity. In effect, this ruling reaffirmed the constitutional principle of freedom of the press (detailed in the First Amendment) and prevented state governments from controlling the content of the press. This case illustrates the medium with the most Constitutional protection—newspapers—while Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC represents the medium with the least protection—broadcast, television, and radio.

Miami attorney Dan Paul, long-time attorney for the Miami Herald, was its chief lawyer in the case.

See also

• Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC
• List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 418
• Fairness doctrine
• Right of reply

External links

• Text of Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974) is available from:  Findlaw  Justia