Wisconsin Enacts Shield Law

Wisconsin has joined the ranks of those states with a shield law to protect reporters from being forced to reveal anonymous sources.

The Badger State became the 39th to sign such a bill into law when Gov. Jim Doyle enacted the new statute on Tuesday. The Wisconsin Newspaper Association, the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council together drafted the bill.

The law takes effect in three months. Under the shield law, judges can order reporters to produce information, testify in court or reveal a source's identity only when it is "highly relevant" to the case or critical to at least one party's argument. 

Even more important, confidential sources also could not be forced to testify.