Legal Hotline
LEGAL HOTLINE: (717) 703-3080
One of PNA’s most popular services to our members is the free Legal Hotline. PNA members may call the hotline with any legal questions.
PNA attorneys routinely provide members with pre-publication review and advice on the Right to Know law, the Sunshine Act, independent contractors, libel, court access issues, First Amendment, copyright and trademark, the Pennsylvania Shield Law and advertising issues. Many reporters from PNA member news media organizations also rely on PNA’s attorneys for quotes on stories involving legal issues.
Members may also contact PNA’s Media Law Counsel directly via email.
Olympic Trademark in Ads and News Coverage
Q: What are the rules governing the use of Olympic terms and logos in ads? What about news coverage? A: Trademark and other laws protect this type of intellectual property, and advertisers…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: RTKL and Specificity
Q: My RTKL request was denied for lack of specificity. What are the general rules I should be following to avoid that issue in the future? A: The Right-to-Know Law requires requests…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Sunshine Act Agenda Requirements
Q: I understand that the Sunshine Act was just amended to require agencies to provide agendas in advance of public meetings. Can you explain the basics of this new rule and any…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Medical Marijuana Ads
Q: Are there any rules governing ads for medical marijuana under Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act? Yes, the Medical Marijuana Act imposes a number of restrictions on advertising and marketing medical marijuana and…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Employment Ads – Basic Rules
Q: We are receiving a large number of “help wanted” ads lately. Can you give us a refresher on the general rules that govern employment ads? A: Under the Pennsylvania Human Relations…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Flag Laws
Q: An automotive advertiser wants to use a picture of the American flag in a display ad. Is that ok? A: Both federal and state law limit or prohibit using the flag…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Contest Guidelines
Q: We are considering running a contest to promote readership. What are the legal issues surrounding contests? A: Every promotion is different. Because the field of sweepstakes/contests is a complicated (and constantly…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Clery Act
Q: There are several colleges and universities in our circulation area, and there have been several crimes reported on and near campus. We requested access to information about the crimes from campus…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Sunshine Act – Right to Object
Q: A local agency is utilizing advanced communication technology to hold virtual public meetings during the COVID-19 disaster declaration. The board does not allow the public to submit comments during the meeting…
Read MoreLegal Hotline: Public Comment – Taxpayers and Residents
Q: I recently attended a township supervisor meeting where the supervisors refused to allow public comment from a few attendees based on their address, even though they own property in the township. …
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