Client Privilege Discussion
Please answer and discuss the following questions.
1) What is a testimonial privilege, what are some of its purposes, and how does it sometimes affect otherwise admissible evidence at trial? 2) What is the attorney-client privilege, what are some of the justifications for it, and what are some of the exceptions? 3) What is the psychotherapist-patient privilege, what are some of the justifications for it, and what are some of the exceptions? 4) Do you agree with the idea of testimonial privileges in general, and specifically with those in Q2 and Q3, and why or why not? 5) Should it matter that in most cases confessions to crimes (with some narrow possible exceptions) to a defendant’s lawyer or psychotherapist are privileged, and why or why not?