On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an 8–1 decision in a First Amendment case that could impact the outcome of a case now before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. The high court ruled that disclosure of information on petitions for ballot referenda does not violate the First Amendment.
The Doe v. Reed case centers on the release of petition names gathered for the referendum on same-sex marriage in the state of Washington. According to Washington state law, petition names can be disclosed to the public as part …

Today attorneys for The Observer filed their brief for the case The Shepherdstown Observer vs Jennifer Maghan in the Supreme Court of West Virginia. This follows the earlier decision by the court to hear the case. The defendants will now have an opportunity to respond.
The Observer is asking the court to overturn the decision made by the Jefferson County Circuit Court that upheld the decision by Jennifer Maghan, County Clerk, not to release the names of petitioners who were calling for a referendum on a new zoning ordinance for the …