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Informs that the University of California at San Francisco can continue to display on the World Wide Web papers stolen from Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. The June 1995 ruling by the California Supreme Court; The papers' revelation that tobacco companies concealed the addictiveness of nicotine from the public for years; How the university obtained the papers; Number of users accessing the papers on the Web site; Details.

The article focuses on the legal battle between San Francisco, California-based newspapers "San Francisco Bay Guardian" and "SF Weekly." Guardian owner Bruce Brugmann has filed action against "SF Weekly" and its parent company Village Voice Media under the Unfair Practices Act in the state. It notes that the state law offers protection to companies from predatory pricing designed to put a competitor out of business. The Guardian won in the case yet has to resort to several actions such as seizing delivery trucks and getting the rent to collect damages.

Reports that a district judge has permitted the release of secret Police Commission transcripts of its 1993 probe into allegations that Police Chief Tony Ribera repeatedly harassed Police Officer Joan Welsh. Lawsuit filed by Welsh against Ribera; San Francisco newspapers' support on the lawsuit; Opposition of Mayor Frank Jordan and the Police Commission on the opening of the transcripts.

Reports that the University of California has won the right to distribute on the World Wide Web the internal documents and memos from cigarette manufacturer Brown & Williamson suggesting that the company was aware of the addictive and cancer-causing nature of cigarettes at least 30 years ago. Brown & Williamson's legal action to get the papers back, claiming that they had been stolen; Web site address.

Reports that newspaper publishers have filed two separate lawsuits against the city of San Francisco, California to block the installation of multiple news racks to replace the single-paper fixtures the administration considers a street blight. Details on the lawsuits; List of newspapers involved in the lawsuit; Views of publishers on the action of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors.

Reports on the `San Francisco Bay Guardian's lawsuit against the city and county of San Francisco, California because a contractor allegedly removed nearly 50 ads from municipal buses. Seeking of reimbursement for money spent on the campaign; Alleged violation of the paper's rights and breaking of its contract for leasing advertising space.

Reports on the decision of a federal court jury in San Francisco, Calif. to award a gay and lesbian newspaper `Bay Times,' in its suit against police chief Richard Hongisto. Hongisto's order to seize copies of the paper due to his rage over his caricature; Denials from Hongisto.