The News-Journal Corporation, a Florida Corporation v. Honorable S. James Foxman, Circuit Judge, Seventh Judicial Circuit, State of Florida

BIRCH, Circuit Judge:

This case presents a newspaper’s First Amendment challenge to a restrictive order entered by a state court regarding extrajudicial statements by trial participants prior to the commencement of a sensational criminal trial. Upon the newspaper’s application for injunctive relief, the federal district court dismissed the action for lack of jurisdiction based on Younger abstention. On the particular facts of this case, we affirm the district court’s conclusion, although we expand upon the reasoning.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The events precipitating this case involve…