Legal Definitions - newspaper

In legal contexts, the term "newspaper" and its related variations carry specific meanings that are important for understanding public notices, legal requirements, and official communications.

• Newspaper

  A newspaper is a regularly published document, typically in a printed sheet format, that provides information of broad public interest, such as current events, news, and advertisements, to a wide audience.

  • Example 1: The "Springfield Gazette" is a publication that comes out every Wednesday, featuring articles about the town's upcoming festival, local school board decisions, and classified ads for residents.

    Explanation: This illustrates a newspaper as a regularly published, sheet-form document covering general public interest (local news, events) for a community.

  • Example 2: A traveler picks up "The Global Times" at an airport newsstand, reading about international political developments, economic trends, and major sports results from around the world.

    Explanation: This shows a newspaper providing general public interest content (world news, finance, sports) to a broad readership, appearing regularly.

• Daily Newspaper

  A daily newspaper is a type of newspaper that is published almost every day of the week, typically five to seven times, ensuring readers receive very frequent updates on current events.

  • Example 1: "The Metro Chronicle" is delivered to homes and newsstands Monday through Saturday mornings, providing up-to-the-minute reports on city politics, traffic, and breaking news.

    Explanation: This demonstrates a daily newspaper by its consistent publication schedule (six days a week) for frequent news updates.

  • Example 2: Investors eagerly await "The Business Journal" each weekday morning for its detailed analysis of stock market movements, corporate earnings, and economic forecasts.

    Explanation: This highlights a publication appearing five days a week, fitting the definition of a daily newspaper focused on specific, time-sensitive information.

• Legal Newspaper

  A legal newspaper is a specialized newspaper that focuses on legal information, such as summaries of court cases, announcements of new laws or regulations, legal advertisements (like foreclosure notices), and public records related to legal proceedings (e.g., bankruptcies).

  • Example 1: Attorneys subscribe to "The Jurisprudence Review," which publishes weekly updates on recent appellate court decisions, changes to state statutes, and notices for upcoming bar association events.

    Explanation: This shows a legal newspaper providing specific legal content (case summaries, legislative changes) relevant to legal professionals.

  • Example 2: A local government agency places an advertisement in "The Court Record" announcing a public hearing for a proposed zoning change, as well as a list of recent property liens and probate filings.

    Explanation: This illustrates a legal newspaper publishing legal advertisements and public records, which are matters of legal interest.

• Newspaper of General Circulation

  A newspaper of general circulation is a newspaper that serves a broad audience within a specific geographic area by providing news and information relevant to the general public, rather than catering to a specialized group. Legally, this term is important because many official public notices, such as those for court cases or government actions, are required by law to be published in such a newspaper, even if it's not the most widely read publication in the area.

  • Example 1: A city planning department needs to inform residents about a proposed new park development. State law mandates that this public notice be published in "The Valley Sentinel," a local paper that covers general community news, even though a popular online blog might reach more people.

    Explanation: This demonstrates a newspaper of general circulation being used for a legally required public notice, emphasizing its role as a designated publication for broad public information within a geographic area, regardless of its specific readership numbers.

  • Example 2: When a large company faces a class-action lawsuit, the court orders the notice to potential plaintiffs to be published in "The County Register," a long-standing print newspaper that covers local politics, sports, and community events for the entire county.

    Explanation: This illustrates a newspaper of general circulation as the required medium for legal notices (like a class-action notice), highlighting its function as a broad, geographically-defined information source for the public.

• Official Newspaper

  An official newspaper is a specific newspaper formally chosen by a government body (such as a city council or state legislature) to be the official publication for all its public announcements, legal resolutions, new laws, and required advertisements.

  • Example 1: The "Capital City Daily" is formally designated by the city council as the official newspaper. This means all new ordinances, public meeting schedules, and bids for city contracts must be published exclusively in its pages to be legally valid.

    Explanation: This shows an official newspaper as the designated publication for a municipal body's public notices, resolutions, and advertisements.

  • Example 2: Following a legislative session, the "State Gazette" publishes the full text of all newly enacted state laws and resolutions, as it has been appointed by the state legislature to serve as its official record keeper for public dissemination.

    Explanation: This illustrates an official newspaper's role in publishing acts and resolves of a state legislative body, having been specifically designated for this purpose.