Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Confidential communication is when two people trust each other and share private information that they expect to keep secret. This can include conversations between a married couple, a doctor and patient, or an attorney and their client. The law protects these conversations from being shared with others, unless one of the parties agrees to disclose the information. The conversation must be intended to be private and held in private for it to be considered confidential. If the conversation was had in a public place where others could hear it, it wouldn't be protected. Attorneys are not allowed to share private conversations they had with their clients.
Confidential communication refers to private conversations between two people who trust each other and believe that the conversation will be kept confidential. This can include oral, written, or nonverbal statements.
Examples of confidential communication include:
These conversations are recognized by the law as private and protected from disclosure, unless one of the parties waives this protection. However, for the conversation to be considered confidential, it must be intended to be private and held in private. If the conversation was held in a public place where others could overhear it, it would not be considered protected.
In some cases, a party in the conversation can waive this privilege and disclose what was discussed. For example, in some states, both parties in a marriage can prevent their spouse from testifying against them and disclosing private conversations. In other states, the testifying spouse can decide whether they want to disclose the conversation.
Another example is attorney-client relationships. Attorneys are not allowed to disclose private conversations they had with their client.
Overall, confidential communication is an important aspect of privacy and trust between individuals in certain relationships. It allows for open and honest communication without fear of the conversation being used against them in the future.