Court order forcing two reporters to give up documents quashed

The Court of Appeal has quashed a High Court order forcing two reporters to give up documents that would have revealed their sources.

Bryan Staples, who headed the Claims Resolution Service, had sued the Mediaworks programme Campbell Live and reporters Kate McCallum and Tristram Clayton for defamation in relation to claims made on the programme in 2014.

Mediaworks refused to release certain documents, claiming protection from disclosing the identity of informants under the Evidence Act.

This was successfully challenged in the High Court by Mr Staples and Claims Resolution.

However, in a decision just released, the Court of Appeal has quashed that order and also alllowed them more time to apply for a review of the judge's ruling.