After initial protests over protecting their sources, three prominent journalists ended up telling a federal prosecutor about their conversations with I. Lewis Libby, leading to the White House official's indictment for perjury, false statements and obstruction of justice.

Although no date has been set, Mr. Libby's case is expected to go to trial some time next year. When it does, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney won't be the only one in the hot seat. The reporters are expected to face a barrage of questions from defense lawyers. Instead of protecting sources, they could end up defending their own credibility, reputations and reporting techniques.

William Jeffress Jr., an attorney for Mr. Libby, told a federal judge last week that he expected significant First Amendment issues that could delay the start date of the trial. While he declined to elaborate further, defense attorneys involved in the case and First Amendment advocates said Mr. Libby's lawyers would almost certainly want to go beyond the scope of the areas covered in testimony the reporters have provided to a grand jury.
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