Overview
- The Supreme Court on Thursday denied an emergency request from Catherine Herridge to halt a lower‑court contempt order that requires her to identify a confidential source or pay $800 per day.
- A federal judge found that Yanping Chen, who sued the FBI and other agencies under the Privacy Act, overcame a qualified reporter’s privilege and ordered Herridge to answer questions about leaked FBI materials used in 2017 stories.
- Chief Justice John Roberts briefly stayed enforcement while the Court considered the application, and the order noted that Justice Brett Kavanaugh would have granted the stay.
- Chen’s lawyers say they have exhausted other ways to find the leaker and that the source’s identity is essential to proving the Privacy Act claim, while media groups warn forcing disclosure could chill investigative reporting.
- The Supreme Court will separately review Herridge’s forthcoming full petition on the merits, and in the meantime the fines can be enforced, creating immediate financial pressure and raising broader questions about how courts balance source confidentiality against a litigant’s need for evidence.