In a significant decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to halt an $800-a-day fine imposed on former Fox News investigative reporter Catherine Herridge, who is refusing to disclose her confidential source for stories about Chinese American scientist Yanping Chen. The high court's decision comes after a judge ordered the fine as part of a lawsuit filed by Chen against the government over a leak related to an FBI investigation. The six-year probe never resulted in charges against Chen, who subsequently sued the FBI and the Justice Department for violating her privacy rights due to the leak, which led to negative media attention, hate mail, and death threats. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington ruled that Chen's need to know for the lawsuit overcame Herridge's right to shield her source. The case has sparked concerns among media advocates about the potential chilling effect on journalists' ability to protect their sources and the free flow of information essential to a functioning democracy. Fox News Media expressed disappointment in the decision, vowing to continue defending the principles of journalistic sourcing confidentiality. Herridge's attorneys did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday's ruling.