where is the aclu on attorney/client privilege today

by Vincent Goodwin 6 min read

What is attorney-client privilege?

ACLU Files Amicus Brief on Attorney-Client Confidentiality. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; [email protected]. CCA Prison Guards Listen to Prisoners’ Privileged Conversations. Honolulu: The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i Foundation (“ACLU”) has filed an amicus curiae brief (also known as a “friend of the court ...

What is the legal professional privilege?

Jul 12, 2007 · WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union announced its support for H.R. 3013, “The Attorney-Client Privilege Protection Act of 2007,” introduced today in the House of Representatives by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA).

What types of communications are covered by the attorney-client privilege?

Feb 01, 2022 · When they discovered the violation of attorney-client privilege, they filed a motion in February 2019 asking Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Susan Shultz Gibson to order the jail to hire an independent investigator to review call logs and determine the “extent of the breach into privileged confidential communication.”.

Are people who are presumed innocent being stripped of their privacy?

Aug 25, 2021 · Attorney-client privilege. Readers of this article are surely familiar with the basic elements of the attorney-client privilege: confidential communications between an attorney and a client for the purpose of giving or receiving legal advice are generally privileged against discovery in litigation. 1 This privilege is widely regarded as the ...

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Does attorney-client privilege exist?

The attorney-client privilege is one of the oldest and most respected privileges. It prevents a lawyer from being compelled to testify against his/her client. ... For the privilege to exist, the communication must be to, from, or with an attorney, and intended to be confidential.

Does the ACLU still exist?

The ACLU is now a nationwide organization with a 50-state network of staffed affiliate offices filing cases in both state and federal courts. We appear before the Supreme Court more than any other organization except the Department of Justice.

What legislation does the ACLU support?

The ACLU works to do away with extreme sentencing laws and mandatory minimum laws that strip judges of their ability to make the sentence actually fit the crime, by supporting and pushing through legislation such as the Smarter Sentencing Act.

Is the ACLU a civil rights organization?

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States"....American Civil Liberties Union.PredecessorNational Civil Liberties BureauFormationJanuary 19, 192014 more rows

Who asserts the attorney-client privilege?

Definition. Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that works to keep confidential communications between an attorney and his or her client secret. The privilege is asserted in the face of a legal demand for the communications, such as a discovery request or a demand that the lawyer testify under oath.

Can a third party assert attorney-client privilege?

The general rule is that, by allowing a third party to be present for a lawyer-client conversation, the defendant waives the privilege. That generally means that the prosecution can force the third party to reveal the contents of the conversation.

Can a client invoke attorney-client privilege?

To invoke the attorney-client privilege, the proponent must establish a communication between attorney and client in which legal advice was sought or rendered, and which was intended to be and was in fact kept confidential.Oct 31, 2013

Is the ACLU a good charity?

Exceptional. This charity's score is 95.38, earning it a 4-Star rating. Donors can "Give with Confidence" to this charity.

Is the ACLU against Christianity?

The ACLU has long fought for religious freedom, for the right of each and every American to practice his or her own religion, or no religion at all. Our support for the separation of church, for example, is not a position against religion.

What are the 5 civil rights?

Examples of civil rights include the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, the right to government services, the right to a public education, and the right to use public facilities.Jan 1, 2022

What resources does ACLU have?

Sample of ResourcesCriminal Law Reform.Immigrants' Rights.Prisoners' Rights.Racial Justice.

What has the ACLU lobbied for?

The ACLU is a nationwide leader in fighting back against ongoing and persistent attacks on reproductive rights. As the only pro-choice organization with lawyers and advocates on the ground in all 50 states, the ACLU works to ensure access to birth control and abortion for women who often have nowhere else to turn.

What are the 10 civil rights?

Civil LibertiesFreedom of speech.Freedom of the press.Freedom of religion.Freedom to vote.Freedom against unwarranted searches of your home or property.Freedom to have a fair court trial.Freedom to remain silent in a police interrogation.

What are civil rights issues today?

Racial equality's long fight Poverty, unemployment, voting rights and racial disparities in education are still issues today, as they were for those who marched for freedom and jobs in 1963. Today, the mass incarceration of blacks adds to the burden.Aug 29, 2013

Who does the ACLU protect?

The ACLU fights to protect civil liberties and rights for all Americans in courts across the country.

Does attorney-client privilege work both ways?

A lawyer who has received a client's confidences cannot repeat them to anyone outside the legal team without the client's consent. ... The privilege generally stays in effect even after the attorney-client relationship ends, and even after the client dies.

What happens if privileged information is voluntarily disclosed to a third party?

The attorney-client privilege protects confidential communications between an attorney and a client for the purpose of obtaining legal advice or services. ... Voluntary disclosure of privileged communications to a third party results in waiver of the attorney-client privilege unless an exception applies.

Are emails with in house counsel privilege?

The Presence of In-house Counsel Does Not Mean Communication Is Automatically Privileged. Communications to or from in-house counsel are not protected by the privilege simply because the in-house counsel is an attorney, or because an in-house attorney was in attendance at a meeting or copied on an email.Jun 24, 2020

Do accountants break privilege?

BOTH COMMON AND FEDERAL LAW reject the idea of an accountant-client privilege like that which exists between attorneys and their clients. However, accountant-related communications still may be shielded from disclosure when an accountant acts as an agent for an attorney providing legal services.Mar 31, 1997

Are emails between lawyers discoverable?

Emails are discoverable, unless they are subject to the Attorney Client or Work Product Privilege. It is important to note that forwarding a privileged email to a party outside of the attorney client relationship will likely result in the waiver of the privilege.Jul 9, 2018

Are conversations between attorneys privileged?

Evidence Code 954 is the California statute that makes communications between attorneys and their clients privileged and confidential. This evidentiary privilege goes hand-in-hand with the right to counsel under the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. ...

Which of the following may not be protected under the attorney-client privilege?

Which of the following may not be protected under the attorney-client privilege? A client who orally confesses to a crime. Correct!

What documents are legally privileged?

The idea of documents being privileged is common sense when you understand it but takes a little bit of explaining. An email or letter from you to a qualified lawyer (barrister or solicitor) asking for advice, and the written legal advice you receive, are examples of documents which are privileged.

How do you ensure attorney-client privilege?

No matter how the attorney-client privilege is articulated, there are four basic elements necessary to establish its existence: (1) a communication; (2) made between privileged persons; (3) in confidence; (4) for the purpose of seeking, obtaining or providing legal assistance to the client.

Where is Susan Cover?

Susan Cover. Susan Cover has been a journalist for 24 years, working at newspapers in Kansas, Rhode Island, Ohio and Maine. In 2002, Susan moved to Maine to cover state government and spent 10 years in the Statehouse Bureau working for the Kennebec Journal.

Who is Bob Cummins?

Bob Cummins, a Maine defense attorney appointed to the commission in 2019, said a broader investigation by the governor’s office or Maine Supreme Judicial Court may be necessary. Cummins is a former chairman of multiple American Bar Association committees on professional discipline and conduct.

Does the ACLU of Maine take legal action?

While the state’s public defense agency continues to study the scope of the breach by three county jails, the ACLU of Maine does not have plans to take legal or legislative action. In the most recent breach of attorney-client privilege in Maine, seven calls from an inmate at the Cumberland County Jail were given to the Buxton Police Department, ...

Who is Roger Katz?

Roger Katz, an Augusta attorney and former state legislator, said the need to protect the privacy of attorney-client phone calls extends to all inmates, not just those who cannot afford their own attorney and are provided one by the state. Katz was appointed to the eight-member commission in 2019.

Who is Roger Katz?

“This is incredibly serious and really awful,” said Roger Katz, an Augusta attorney currently serving on Maine’s public defense commission. “Hearing this report, this is obviously completely unacceptable and one of the worst things I’ve ever heard about a breach of attorney-client privilege in Maine, in any setting.”

Is Somerset County jail in Maine a breach of attorney-client privilege?

The release of protected phone calls between a Maine attorney and his client housed at the Somerset County Jail have sparked concerns about inmates’ civil rights, and members of the state public defense commission say this could be the worst breach in attorney-client privilege seen in the state.

Who is Samantha Hogan?

Samantha joined The Maine Monitor as its first full-time reporter in 2019 with Report for America. She spent 2020 reporting exclusively on Maine's court system through the ProPublica Local Reporting Network. Samantha previously worked for The Frederick News-Post, covering state politics, agriculture, the environment and energy, and interned twice for The Washington Post.

Why is privileged phone call so concerning?

The release of privileged phone calls was “very concerning” to the advocacy organization, especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has made it impossible for lawyers to visit clients in jail to discuss confidential information about their case.

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What Is Attorney-Client Privilege?

  • Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that works to keep confidential communications between an attorney and his or her client secret. This is the name given to the common law concept of legal professional privilege in the United States. The privilege is a client’s right to refuse to disclose, and to prevent others from disclosing confidential communications between …
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Purpose of Attorney-Client Privilege

  • The purpose of the attorney-client privilege is to promote open and frank communications between clients and their lawyers. To represent a client effectively, lawyers must have access to all relevant information concerning the representation. If a client knows that certain information will be kept secret, he or she may be more willing to divulge that information to the lawyer. The p…
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What’s Covered Under Attorney Client Privilege?

  • The attorney-client privilege in the United States is often defined by reference to the 5 Cs: (1) a Communication (2) made in Confidence (3) between a Client (4) and Counsel (5) for the purpose of seeking or providing legal Counsel or advice. 1. All types of communications or exchanges between a client and attorney may be covered by the attorney-client privilege. This may include …
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Attorney Client Privilege Exceptions

  • Some of the most common exceptions to the privilege include: 1. Death of a client. The privilege may be breached upon the death of a testator-client if litigation ensues between the decedent’s heirs, legatees or other parties claiming under the deceased client. 2. Fiduciary Duty . A corporation’s right to assert the attorney-client privilege is not absolute. An exception to the privi…
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Examples of Attorney-Client Privilege

  • Following are some examples of attorney-client privilege. 1. A client is seeking advice from a lawyer for a business transactionand discloses confidential information about their business operations. 2. A client disclosing information to his or her attorney about a past crime that he or she committed, and the communication was done in private. 3. A client disclosing to the attorne…
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What Happens When Attorney-Client Privilege Is Broken?

  • Specific sanctions may be imposed on an attorney who reveals confidential communications, but where there is the mere potential for disclosure, disqualification motions are common. These motions typically claim that a lawyer or firm should be disqualified due to the fact that the lawyer or a member of his firm had previously represented the party desiring disqualification. While dis…
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What Is It?

  • The attorney/client privilege is a legal theory that protects as confidential communications between an attorney and his or her client.
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What Is The Purpose of The Privilege?

  • The purpose of the privilege is to encourage openness between attorney’s and clients. Good legal advice and representation depend on the lawyer being fully informed. A client will be more forthcoming if he or she is assured that the attorney cannot disclose what the client tells him or her.
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What Is Protected?

  • Oral or written communications, including e-mails, between an attorney and client when made for the purpose of seeking, obtaining or providing legal assistance.
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What Is Not Protected?

  1. Meetings at which a lawyer is merely present and not providing specific legal advice;
  2. The mere fact that a consultation between attorney and client occurred;
  3. The general subject matter of the consultation such as litigation, contract or employment advice;
  4. Communications made in non-private settings or in the presence of third persons who are ou…
  1. Meetings at which a lawyer is merely present and not providing specific legal advice;
  2. The mere fact that a consultation between attorney and client occurred;
  3. The general subject matter of the consultation such as litigation, contract or employment advice;
  4. Communications made in non-private settings or in the presence of third persons who are outside of the attorney-client loop for that particular subject or issue.

What If Someone Discloses Confidential Information by Mistake?

  • Notify the Office of University Counsel immediately. The Office can help determine if the privilege is still intact or has been broken and what steps can be taken.
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Basic Guidelines to Protect The Attorney-Client Privilege

  • If you are aware of a legal matter in which counsel is involved, do not speak to anyone other than your supervisor about it unless you have to do so as part of your regular job. 1. Do not forward e-mails, documents, voicemails, or any other communication from University counsel, or from outside counsel retained by the University, about that legal matter unless the attorney said it wa…
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