American Educational Research Association, Inc. v. Public.Resource.Org, Inc.

Education associations brought an action in federal court in D.C. for injunctive relief against Public.Resource.Org (“Public Resource”) for copyright infringement after Public Resource posted a copy of the 1999 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (“1999 Standards”) on its website. The Reporters Committee filed an amicus brief in Public Resource’s favor on February 11, 2016. In the brief, the Reporters Committee argued that copyright law should not be used to restrict access to “the law.” Doing so hinders journalists’ ability to inform the public about important laws that affect many aspects of American life. Additionally, the Reporters Committee argued that the public and news media have a First Amendment right to communicate the contents of the 1999 Standards — a right that copyright law cannot be used to overcome because the standards constitute an “idea,” a category of information copyright law does not protect.

American Educational Research Association, Inc. v. Public.Resource.Org, Inc.