§ 6-1514.Release of information by attorneys.

A lawyer’s public comments can shape a jury pool before anyone’s sworn in, and § 6-1514 draws the line. A lawyer can’t make an extrajudicial statement they know or reasonably should know carries a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding. That risk is treated as present, for a civil matter triable to a jury or a criminal matter that could result in incarceration, when the statement touches a party’s or witness’s character, credibility, reputation, or criminal record, or a witness’s identity or expected testimony; the results of an examination or test, or a refusal to take one, or the nature of physical evidence expected at trial; an opinion on guilt or innocence; or information the lawyer knows or should know is likely inadmissible and would create a substantial risk of prejudicing an impartial trial if disclosed.

The section then draws a clear space for what a lawyer involved in investigating or litigating a matter can say without elaboration: the general nature of the claim or defense, information already in a public record, that an investigation is underway (including its general scope and, unless the law bars it, who’s involved), the scheduling or result of a litigation step, a request for help gathering evidence, and a warning about a person’s dangerous behavior where there’s reason to believe the danger exists.

Criminal cases get a further, specific list of permitted disclosures: a defendant’s or suspect’s identity, residence, occupation, and family status; information that would help apprehend a suspect who hasn’t been caught; the fact, time, and place of arrest, along with any resistance, pursuit, and use of weapons; and the identity of the investigating and arresting agencies and the length of the investigation.