Dan Paul | |
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| Born | Daniel Perkins Smith Paul July 22, 1924 |
| Died | January 24, 2010 (aged 85) |
| 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 Jacksonville, Florida, grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida, and was educated at Harvard University, receiving degrees in law and public administration. Setting up practice in Miami, Florida, he specialized in First Amendment and environmental law. His clients included the Miami Dolphins of American football and newspapers such as The Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal. For his active role in city politics, Paul was nicknamed "the father of Metro". On June 13, 2015 supporters led by Emerge Miami, the Urban Environment League and New Tropics named a four-acre Biscayne Bay waterfront site after Dan Paul. The site, owned by Miami-Dade County, was formerly called Parcel B, and in 1996 the Miami Heat had promised to turn the site into a public park including a mini-soccer field. Supporters, now including several elected officials, demand the county force the Heat to honor its promise. The site will now be called the Dan Paul park. (16)