INDIANAPOLIS, March 2 (UPI) -- An Indiana judge is ordering news outlets to hand over identifying information on readers who post on their Web forums.

Marion County Superior Court Judge S.K. Reid ruled this week and last that Indiana's journalism shield law does not protect media outlets from being made to disclose names or other identifying information of anonymous posters, Kevin Betz, lawyer for plaintiff Jeffrey Miller, told The Indianapolis Star.


Miller, former chief executive of Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, filed a defamation lawsuit last year. He wants to expand the list of defendants to include those who criticized him anonymously on sites run by The Star, the Indianapolis Business Journal and WRTV.

All three Indianapolis media outlets fought the subpoenas for identifying information, invoking the shield law and the Constitution. Reid has ruled against the Star and IBJ and will rule on the TV station shortly.

Miller and his wife, Cynthia, initially sued his successor, Jennifer Burk; Brian Payne, president of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, and both of their organizations.

The amended complaint adds nine "John Does."