CHARLES GLASSER: Confidential Sources: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly. “Now ask yourself how the following would sound in court: ‘Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I know I said Mr. Jones was a swindler. I have a source that told me so. I promised the source confidentiality, so I can’t tell you who it was. But trust me, I’m a journalist.’ This is straight out of the Lionel Hutz playbook.”

Plus: “The promise of confidentiality is often considered a binding contract, and sources who are burned have the right to sue a publisher or reporter for financial compensation for lost wages, business opportunities and other expenses. The only way to avoid this possibility is to obtain a written waiver from the source allowing you to name him or her in the event you are sued.”