A publication ban is a court order which prohibits the public or media from disseminating certain details of an otherwise public judicial procedure. Publication bans are most commonly issued when the safety or reputation of a victim or witness may be hindered by having their identity openly broadcast in the press. They are also commonly issued when the crime involves minors or is sexual in nature.

In Canada, the role of publication bans came under intense scrutiny in April, 2005 when Justice Gomery issued a publication ban on the testimony of three key witnesses at the Gomery Inquiry in the sponsorship scandal. The ban was granted at the request of the lawyers for the Jean Brault, Paul Coffin and Chuck Guite who argued intense media coverage would bias potential jurors for their upcoming criminal trials. Shortly after the ban was issued, however, an editorialized summary of Brault's testimony was posted on an American blogger's website where it was immediately accessible and well known to Canadians interested in the story. Also, somewhat strangely, the inquiry remained public to anyone willing to venture to where the procedings were being held; thus, the opposition parties were aware of what was being revealed at the inquiry, even while their respective leaders were kept intentionally unaware to prevent them from accidentally violating the ban at a press conference. Justice Gomery later lifted the ban on most of the testimony. April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Justice John Gomery Justice John Howard Gomery, BCL , BA , QC (born August 9, 1932 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian jurist. ... The Gomery Commission, formally the Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities, is a federal Canadian commission headed by the retired Justice John Gomery for the purpose of investigating the sponsorship scandal, which involves allegations of corruption within the Canadian government. ... The sponsorship scandal, AdScam, or Sponsorgate is an ongoing scandal that may lead to the collapse of the current government of Canada. ... Jean Brault was the president of Groupaction, a Montreal advertising firm implicated in the Canadian sponsorship scandal. ... J. Charles (Chuck) Guit is a Canadian civil servant who was in charge of the federal sponsorship program, and is one of the main figures in the sponsorship scandal. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

In January 2005, author Stephen Williams was sentenced for violating the publication ban by including forbidden details in his two books on Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, making him only the second person sentenced for violating the publication ban—the first being one of the "Electronic ban breakers". Stephen Williams reached a plea agreement with the Canadian authorities in which he agreed that he would no longer use "any materials belonging to the Crown" as part of his writings. It is, as of this writing, unclear whether or not Stephen Williams will remain active in this case, but he was present at the June 2005 810.2 hearing for Karla Homolka, which would seem to indicate he will. See also Karla Homolka case publication ban. 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Stephen Williams is a Canadian true crime writer who violated the Bernardo publication ban in Canada; see Karla Homolka, publication ban. ... Karla Homolka & Paul Bernardo on their wedding day Paul Kenneth Bernardo (he later assumed the name Paul Teale) (born August 27, 1964 in Scarborough, Ontario) is a Canadian serial killer, known for the murders he committed with his wife Karla Homolka. ... Karla Homolka Karla Leanne Homolka, also known as Karla Leanne Teale, born May 4, 1970 in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years in prison for her role in abetting her husband, serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist Paul Bernardo. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Karla Homolka Karla Leanne Homolka, also known as Karla Leanne Teale, born May 4, 1970 in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years in prison for her role in abetting her husband, serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist Paul Bernardo. ...

See also:

• Sponsorship scandal, Jean Brault
• Dave Hilton, Jr.
• D-Notice