Dan Paul
Dan Paul | |
---|---|
Miami, Florida | |
Occupation | lawyer |
Known for | chief lawyer in Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo (1974) |
Daniel Perkins Smith Paul (July 22, 1924 – January 24, 2010) was an American attorney best known for arguing the landmark case Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo before the Supreme Court of the United States. The decision established the principle that government could not force a newspaper to publish content.
Paul was born in
Early life
Dan Paul was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 22, 1924, to Henry Paul, a pharmacist, and Cornelia Smith Paul, a county tax collector. After growing up in Daytona Beach, he attended Harvard University, receiving a law degree in 1948 and a master's degree in public administration in 1949.[1]
Legal career
Paul began to practice in
In 1967, a suit filed by Paul against a plan to reapportion and expand the Florida Legislature reached the US Supreme Court. The Court struck down the plan. Paul stated that he had filed the suit because "it would greatly hurt the future of Florida to let the Legislature grow to such monstrous proportions that we would cease to have effective government."[4]
One of Paul's specialties was environmental law, and he represented the
Paul worked for a time in partnership with Parker Thomson in one of the most prominent legal practices in Miami, Paul and Thomson. By the end of their practice, 28 percent of Paul and Thomson's time was devoted to pro bono work. However, the partners split acrimoniously in 1983.[6] In the 1970s and '80s, Paul also acted as general counsel for the Miami Dolphins of American football.[1]
In 2001, Harvard established a professorship in his name at the
First Amendment law
Paul represented the Miami Herald for more than three decades, as well as working for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NBC.[1][7] James Goodale, a First Amendment specialist, described Paul after his death as "an important figure in freedom-of-press matters nationally and particularly in Florida ... In Florida, in particular, he was a leader in resisting subpoenas for reporters' sources."[1]
Paul is best known for acting as the chief lawyer for the Herald in Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, a 1974 US Supreme Court case.[1][8] In the case, a political candidate, Pat Tornillo Jr., had requested that the Herald print his rebuttal to an editorial criticizing him, citing Florida's "right-to-reply" law, which mandated that newspapers print such responses. The Herald challenged the law, and the case was appealed to the Supreme Court.[9]
The court unanimously overturned the Florida statute under the Press Freedom Clause of the First Amendment, ruling that "Governmental compulsion on a newspaper to publish that which 'reason' tells it should not be published is unconstitutional."
Personal life
Paul never married.[3] For hobbies, he enjoyed tennis, speedboating, and waterskiing.[2]
On January 9, 1980, Paul was attacked by an 18-year-old guest, Bradley Schlegel, at his home in Star Island.[3][a] Schlegel stabbed Paul in the face, chest, arms, and back, and Paul subsequently underwent plastic surgery to repair the wounds.[13][14] Schlegel was charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon, and attempted robbery. He initially contended that Paul had made aggressive sexual advances to him, prompting him to stab Paul in self-defense. Schlegel later pleaded no contest to a charge of aggravated battery.[15]
Paul died at his home in Miami on January 24, 2010, of Parkinson's disease.[1]
References
Notes
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dennis Hevesi (February 2, 2010). "Dan Paul, 85, leading lawyer for press freedom". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013 – via HighBeam Research.
- ^ a b Haines Colbert (December 22, 1966). "It's Cause that Refreshes Dade's Knight, Dan Paul". The Miami News. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ a b c Arthur Golden (January 9, 1980). "Attorney Dan Paul stabbed at home". Miami News. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ "Where Do We Go From Here?". The Miami Herald. January 9, 1967. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ "Preparation for Miami Auto Race Removes Sections of Famous Architect's Work". Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. September 22, 2003. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2013 – via HighBeam Research.
- ^ "Prominent Miami Lawyer Joins Local Office of Washington Firm". Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. August 11, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2013 – via HighBeam Research.
- ^ "Herald Explores Relationship with its Attorney". Miami News. September 14, 1977. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, 418 U.S. 241 (1974)
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4576-0491-1. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "MIAMI HERALD PUBLISHING CO. v. TORNILLO, 418 U.S. 241 (1974)". via FindLaw. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-271-04282-4. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ Bob Murphy (January 22, 1980). "The Dan Paul Case". The Miami News. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ "18-year-old charged in Paul stabbing". The Miami News. January 10, 1980. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ "Plastic surgery slated for stabbed Miami lawyer". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. January 15, 1980. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ Ana Veciana (February 28, 1980). "Schlegel plea of no contest ends Paul case". The Miami News. Retrieved April 24, 2013.