Physician- and Psychotherapist- Patient Privilege - Tulsa Trial Attorneys

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Patient - Definition

A "patient" is a person who consults or is examined or interviewed by a physician or psychotherapist.12 O.S 2503

Physician - Definition

A "physician" is a person authorized to practice medicine in any state or nation, or reasonably believed by the patient to be so authorized. 12 O.S 2503

Psychotherapist - Definition

A "psychotherapist" is:

a. a person authorized to practice medicine in any state or nation, or reasonably believed by the patient to be so authorized, while engaged in the diagnosis or treatment of a mental or emotional condition, including alcohol or drug addiction, or

b. a person licensed or certified as a psychologist under the laws of any state or nation, or reasonably believed by the patient to be so licensed or certified, while similarly engaged. 12 O.S 2503

When Communication is Confidential

A communication is "confidential" if not intended to be disclosed to third persons, except persons present to further the interest of the patient in the consultation, examination or interview, persons reasonably necessary for the transmission of the communication, or persons who are participating in the diagnosis and treatment under the direction of the physician or psychotherapist, including members of the patient’s family.

A patient has a privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person from disclosing confidential communications made for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of the patient’s physical, mental or emotional condition, including alcohol or drug addiction, among the patient, the patient’s physician or psychotherapist, and persons who are participating in the diagnosis or treatment under the direction of the physician or psychotherapist, including members of the patient’s family.

The privilege may be claimed by the patient, the patient’s guardian or conservator or the personal representative of a deceased patient. The person who was the physician or psychotherapist at the time of the communication is presumed to have authority to claim the privilege but only on behalf of the patient. 12 O.S 2503

The following shall be exceptions to a claim of privilege:

1. There is no privilege under this section for communications relevant to an issue in proceedings to hospitalize the patient for mental illness, if the psychotherapist in the course of diagnosis or treatment has determined that the patient is in need of hospitalization;

2. Communications made in the course of a court-ordered examination of the physical, mental or emotional condition of a patient, whether a party or a witness, are not privileged under this section when they relate to the particular purpose for which the examination is ordered unless the court orders otherwise;

3. The privilege under this Code as to a communication relevant to the physical, mental or emotional condition of the patient in any proceeding in which the patient relies upon that condition as an element of the patient’s claim or defense or, after the patient’s death, in any proceeding in which any party relies upon the condition as an element of the party’s claim or defense is qualified to the extent that an adverse party in the proceeding may obtain relevant information regarding the condition by statutory discovery;

4. When the patient is an inmate in the custody of the Department of Corrections or a private prison or facility under contract with the Department of Corrections, and the release of the information is necessary:

a. to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of any person, or

b. for law enforcement authorities to identify or apprehend an individual where it appears from all the circumstances that the individual has escaped from a correctional institution or from lawful custody; or

5. The testimonial privilege created pursuant to this section does not make communications confidential where state and federal privacy law would otherwise permit disclosure. 12 O.S 2503

General Provisions

• Legislative Purpose

• Scope of Rules

• Rulings on Evidence

• Preliminary Questions

• Limited Admissibility

• Remainder of Part of Record

Judicial Notice

• Judicial Notice of Law

• Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts

• Determining Propriety of Taking Judicial Notice

Presumptions

• Establishment of Basic Fact

• Effect of Presumptions in Civil Cases

• Presumptions in Criminal Cases

• Inconsistent Presumptions

Relevance

• Relevant Evidence Generally Admissible - Irrelevant Evidence Inadmissible

• Exclusion of Relevant Evidence on Grounds of Prejudice, Confusion or Cumulative Nature of Evidence

• Character Evidence Not Admissible to Prove Conduct

• Methods of Proving Character

• Habit - Routine Practice

• Subsequent Remedial Measures

• Compromise and Offers to Compromise

• Payment of Medical and Similar Expenses

• Offer to Plead Guilty - Nolo Contendere - Withdrawn Plea of Guilty

• Liability Insurance

• Sexual Offense Against Another Person - Evidence of Complaining Witness’s Previous Sexual Conduct Inadmissible - Exception

• Evidence of Commission of Other Sexual Assault Offense - Admissibility - Disclosures by Prosecutor

• Evidence of Commission of Other Child Molestation Offense - Admissibility - Disclosures by Prosecutor

Privilege

• Privileges Recognized Only as Provided

• Attorney-Client Privilege

• Accountant-Client Privilege

• Physician- and Psychotherapist-Patient Privilege

• Interpreter for the Deaf

• Husband Wife Privilege

• Religious Privilege

• Journalist's Privilege

• Renumbered as 12 O.S. § 2503.1 by Laws 2002, HB 1939, c. 468, § 78, eff. November 1, 2002

• Peer Support Counseling Privilege

• Political Vote

• Trade Secrets

• Secrets of State and Other Official Information; Governmental Privileges

• Identity of Informer

• Crime Stoppers Organization

• Waiver of Privilege by Voluntary Disclosure

• Privileged Matter Disclosed Under Compulsion or Without Opportunity to Claim Privilege

• Comment Upon or Inference From Claim of Privilege - Instruction

Witnesses

• General Rule of Competency

• Lack of Personal Knowledge

• Oath or Affirmation

• Interpreters

• Competency of Judge as Witness

• Competency of Juror as Witness

• Who May Impeach

• Evidence of Character and Conduct of Witness

• Impeachment by Evidence of Conviction of Crime

• Religious Beliefs or Opinions

• Mode and Order of Interrogation and Presentation

• Repealed

• Unusual Court Procedures to Protect Rights of Incapacitated Persons - Criminal Defendant - Judicial Integrity

Uniform Child Witness Testimony by Alternative Methods Act

• Short Title

• Definitions

• Applicability in Criminal and Noncriminal Proceedings

• Hearing - When Ordered, How Conducted, Rules of Evidence

• When Child Witness May Testify by Alternate Means - Findings, Factors, Evidentiary Standards

• Factors Affecting Selection of Alternate Method of Testifying

• Orders

• Opportunity for Cross Examination

• Construction of Act

• Use of a Certified Therapeutic Dog

• Writing Used to Refresh Memory

• Prior Statements of Witnesses

• Calling and Interrogation of Witnesses by Court

• Exclusion of Witnesses

Expert and Opinion Testimony

• Opinion Testimony by Lay Witnesses

• Testimony by Experts

• Bases of Opinion Testimony by Experts

• Opinion on Ultimate Issue

• Disclosure of Facts or Data Underlying Expert Opinion

Hearsay

• Definitions

• Hearsay Rule

• Hearsay Exceptions - Availability of Declarant Immaterial

• Statements by Certain Children Regarding Physical or Sexual Abuse - Admissibility

• Renumbered as 12 O.S. § 2611.2 by Laws 1999, SB 481, c. 108, § 1, eff. November 1, 1999

• Hearsay Exception - Declarant Unavailable

• Hearsay Exception - Exceptional Circumstances

• Hearsay Within Hearsay

• Attacking and Supporting Credibility of Declarant

Authentication and Identification

• Requirement of Authentication or Identification

• Self-Authentication

• Subscribing Witness's Testimony Unnecessary

Contents of Writings, Recordings and Photographs

• Definitions

• Requirement of Original

• Admissibility of Duplicates

• Admissibility of Other Evidence of Contents

• Public Records

• Summaries

• Testimony or Written Admission of Party

• Functions of Judge and Jury

• Medical Bills - Identification

• Admissibility of Medical Expenses

• Repealed

• Admissibility of Evidence of Assemblage in Exercise of Free Speech or Display of Religious Beliefs

Physician- and Psychotherapist- Patient Privilege Litigation Expertise

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