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BREAKING: Judge who allowed FBI to search Washington Post reporter’s home rips into Justice Department for not informing him of the law that explicitly bars raids of reporters

Is this specifically for one party petitions (like warrants) or does it also apply to trials where the defendant is present?

it is absolutely not basic knowledge; the PPA has come into play by our research fewer than 100 times in the last 40 years. There's no reason for a federal magistrate to know about it, which is why prosecutors have an obligation to disclose it. (Which they didn't do in my case, either.)

I’m not a judge but if a law enforcement organization came to me and asked for permission to raid a reporters home OR office - I would immediately be asking some questions. It doesn’t sound legal and its not legal. A judge giving permission should be doing more than rubber stamping raids.

how would you know the address in question belonged to a news reporter?

Shouldn't judges do research into the cases they are presiding over so that they are informed on the laws of the case?

magistrates aren't "presiding over" anything

Just a strong disagree. Magistrate judges get training and that training should include all exceptions to search warrants, as it does at most state judge level trainings. The affidavit here identified Natanson as a journalist. No excusing the DOJ. But the magistrate bears some responsibility.

As I have posted on my own account, I have represented journalists subject to search warrants several times and in those case, the cops never identify the target as a journalist, usually because they know that will lead to greater judicial scrutiny.