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Focuses on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's lawsuit against Modern Times Group (MTG) to stop MTG's distribution of an American version of its European subway papers, `Metro,' in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Potential impact of the lawsuit on MTG's attempt to launch the paper in other cities; Comment by Floyd Weintraub, vice president of Metro International North America.

This article reports on the amicus curiae brief filed by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) with the U.S. District Court of Pennsylvania in August 1985. The brief filed by the Institute is regarding the case U.S.A. v. Westinghouse. It argues that the subpoena of Westinghouse's confidential internal auditing papers undermines the efficiency of internal auditing via public disclosure of sensitive information.The group believes the privacy of the audit reports of business enterprises should not be violated. In this regard, the association urged the Court to deny the petition submitted by the U.S. federal government.

The article focuses on the lawsuit filed by the town of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania against seven out-of-town firms. The town has asked the court to deduct tax from the wages of Philadelphians employed by the firms and to ask the companies to pay the city the amount of tax since the passing of the income tax law five years ago. The companies sued include Baldwin Locomotive Works, Wilson Distilling Co., and Scott Paper Co.

Cites a court ruling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that a newspaper cannot be sued over alleged discriminatory housing advertisements. Decision considered a victory for `Main Line Times'; Lawsuit brought against newspaper by Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia.

Reports the lawsuit filed by Tina McCarthy against unsolicited newspapers from Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Effort to stop the total-market-coverage product of the newspaper company; Complaint of residents against the unsolicited papers; Schedule of the hearing for the case.

Looks at the controversy and lawsuit over the teaching of evolution in the schools of Dover, Pennsylvania and religion's place in the classroom. How the controversy has created a split in the community and has caused hard feelings on both sides of the issue; Students' reactions to the decision to include a reference to the intelligent design theory; The American Civil Liberties Union's lawsuit against the school district and representation of the district by the Thomas More Law Center. INSET: OLD DEBATE, NEW APPROACH.

The article reports on a libel suit filed by businessman Thomas A. Joseph against Shamrock Communications, the parent company of the newspaper "The Citizens' Voice," in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and its reporters Edward Lewis and James Conmy. Joseph filed the suit after a grand jury decided that he is not guilty of the stories written by the reporters which connect him to Billy D'Elia, the head of a crime family in the state.

This article discusses the libel suit file against the Daily Local News, a local newspaper of Chester, Pennsylvania, by Chester Mayor Alan M. Wolfe and Councilman James B. Norton III. In 1995, the Daily Local News run a story about Wolfe and Norton based on the statement of another councilman, William T. Glenn Sr. The article reported that Glenn's statement claimed Norton and Wolfe were queers and child molesters. It also reported that Glenn's statement accused Norton of making unwanted homosexual advances toward him . The article e also noted that Norton dismissed Glenn's comments as bizarre and expressed the hope that Glenn could get the help he needs. Glenn lost the election despite his comments but Wolfe and Norton won. After the elections, Wolfe and Norton filed a libel suit against the paper, its publisher William Caufield and Troy Publishing Co., and the reporter who wrote the story. In defense, the newspaper it should not be held liable for accurately reporting what a council member had said about his fellow officials. It claimed that it was protected by the constitutional privilege of neutral reportage, first articulated by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1977 in Edwards vs. National Audubon Society. The problem was that only a handful of jurisdictions have adopted the neutral report privilege. In October 2004, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declined to join them. So in January 2005, the Daily Local News asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review and reverse the case.

This article discusses the decision of a Pennsylvania Supreme Court on a case that rejected the neutral reportage privilege. In Bochetto v. Gibson case, the court increased the liability attorneys face when they share pleadings with reporters. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in October 2004 that the normal judicial privilege that covers such filings does not apply when an attorney hands those filed papers to a reporter. The ruling allows George Bochetto, a lawyer, to proceed with his defamation lawsuit against Kevin Gibson, another lawyer who subsequently represented the same hunt in filing a legal malpractice claim against Bochetto. What this decision inhibits, however, is easy to see. Lawyers must be much more careful in their communications to the media and would not feel free to pass on any of the documents they previously would have if there is a chance that any allegation in the document could arguably contain a false statement of fact. In fact, they will probably feel much less free to discuss a case with a reporter at all, leading to less information for the public on what transpires in its courts. Reporters outside of Pennsylvania may start to notice the effects of this case, as lawyers are by training a cautious lot who do not want to test the parameters of their own states' privileges.

The article reports on the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based the U.S. District Court's ruling on the Communications Decency Act (CDA) as unconstitutional. The first-ever trial of free speech on the Internet was about to begin--complete with a live demonstration of the new medium in the freshly wired chambers. A three-judge panel unanimously struck down as unconstitutional the Communications Decency Act (CDA), which criminalized the distribution of indecent and patently offensive material online. In a sweeping decision, the court said the law, enacted on February 8, 1996 violated both First Amendment free speech protections and Fifth Amendment due-process rights. INSET: Uncensoring the Internet..

The article discusses the lessons learned by contractor SECCO Home Services in a case filed against them for damage caused on a customers' property in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. The damage was caused by a water heater with SECCO's sticker on it. Owner Barry Kindt insists that they did not install the heater, but could not prove it. Kindt learned the importance of stressing the significance of recording models and serial numbers on paper works to avoid litigation costs.

Presents an update on political issues in counties and cities in the U.S. as of May 2002. Attempt of former Frederick, Maryland Mayor Jim Grimes to prevent the 'Frederick News-Post' from disclosing an arrested prostitute's files; Information on the arsons charged to Justin Yongue, a former volunteer firefighter for York County, Pennsylvania.

Reports the filing of a lawsuit by the Consumers Education and Protective Association to block stadium financing plan in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Constitutionality of acquiring debt without the approval of voters; Plan of the city to build stadiums for hometown teams; Lease agreements between the city and the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development.

Reports that Pennsylvania dairy owners, Robert and Arlen Bechtel, were charged with adding skim milk, powder, and water to fluid cow milk in order to raise their profits. How they illegally packaged the milk; Violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; Role of Patricia Hughes, the dairy's controller; How the Bechtels were fined.

Focuses on the lawsuit filed against the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, by feminists, regarding its recruitment process and the appointment of Ralph F. Boyd, to head the civil rights division at the Department of Justice, to look into the case. Criticism of Boyd for moving Katherine Baldwin, the lawyer in charge of the employment-litigation section, onto a special task force; Reference to the article headlined "Bias Case Decree May Be Lifted," published in the periodical "Post," regarding the decision of Boyd to end a consent decree signed by the Adam's Mark hotel chain.

Offers library-related news briefs as of June 1, 1999. Resignation of Sanford Berman, head cataloger at Hennepin County Library in Minnesota; Termination of employment of Kerry Spradlin, President of the Indianapolis-Marian County Library over a tax dispute; Lack of standard accounting practices at the Bethel Park Public Library (Pa.) that allowed director Dorothy Corbett to steal money; Others.

The author offers opinions on a dispute over the grave of athlete Jim Thorpe between Thorpe's descendants and the town of Jim Thorpe (formerly Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, where Thorpe is buried 1954, after his widow Patricia sold Thorpe's remains to the town. Thorpe's children have sued for possession of the remains, which they want buried on family property in Oklahoma. The author states that it would be in the town's best interests to grant this wish without litigation.

The article reports on the lawsuit filed by the Hazleton Area School District against the participants of a 64.2 million dollars bond deal in Pennsylvania. The deal has included the put option escrow, which has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service as taxable. Hazleton has been attempting to raise funds for a closing agreement with the Internal Revenue Service, protecting the 1997 bonds' tax exempt status.

Reports that the United States Supreme Court plans to hear the case Bartnicki versus Vopper as of October 2, 2000. Background on the lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania-based teachers' union president Anthony F. Kane against radio broadcaster Fred Williams; Williams' airing of a recorded cellular telephone conversation between Kane and union negotiator Gloria Bartnicki.

Details the libel suit filed by Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Municipal Court Judge Ronald Merriweather against `Philadelphia Daily News' for the libelous headline of one of its news stories. Allegations of corruption and conflicts in some Philadelphia-area courtrooms; Amount of money awarded to the judge.