State Ex Rel. Hudok v. Henry

MILLER, Justice:

In this original proceeding in prohibition, we are asked to determine the extent of a news reporter’s privilege to decline to answer questions or to divulge information obtained in the course of his news-gathering function. The privilege is asserted under the free press clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, 1 as well as under Article III, Section 7 of the West Virginia Constitution. 2 The reporters, Ron Hudok and Natasha Singh, contend that the Honorable Patrick G. Henry, III, Judge of the Thirty-First Judicial Circuit, acted beyond his legitimate…