Opinion ID: 2356214
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Waiver of lawyer-client privilege

Text: For her second point on appeal, appellant argues that the circuit court erred in permitting testimony obtained in violation of the lawyer-client privilege under Ark. R. Evid. 502(b). At issue is appellant's statement to Donna Phillips regarding the location of the victim's body, which was relayed by Phillips to the Boone County Sheriff's Department. Specifically, appellant contends that Phillips's testimony should not have been admissible because appellant did not waive the lawyer-client privilege, and she did not authorize Phillips to call law enforcement. The State responds, arguing that appellant waived any attorney-client privilege between Donna Phillips and appellant by consenting to the disclosure of the substance of their communications. We have said that the trial courts have broad discretion and that a trial court's ruling on the admissibility of evidence will not be reversed absent an abuse of that discretion. Owens v. State, 363 Ark. 413, 214 S.W.3d 849 (2005). The general rule of attorney-client privilege is set forth in Rule 502(b) of the Arkansas Rules of Evidence: (b) General Rule of Privilege. A client has a privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person from disclosing confidential communications made for the purpose of facilitating the rendition of professional legal services to the client (1) between himself or his representative and his lawyer or his lawyer's representative, (2) between his lawyer and the lawyer's representative, (3) by him or his representative or his lawyer or a representative of the lawyer to a lawyer or a representative of a lawyer representing another party in a pending action and concerning a matter of common interest therein, (4) between representatives of the client or between the client and a representative of the client, or (5) among lawyers and their representatives representing the same client. Id. Moreover, it is the client who may claim the privilege. Ark. R. Evid. 502(c). Client is defined as a person, . . . who is rendered professional legal services by a lawyer, or who consults a lawyer with a view to obtaining professional legal services from him. Ark. R. Evid. 502(a)(1). Confidential communication is defined by the rule as follows: A communication is `confidential' if not intended to be disclosed to third persons other than those to whom disclosure is made in furtherance of the rendition of professional legal services to the client or those reasonably necessary for the transmission of the communication. Ark. R. Evid. 502(a)(5). The privilege attached to a confidential communication under Rule 502 is held by the client, and that privilege may be waived. Holt v. McCastlain, 357 Ark. 455, 182 S.W.3d 112 (2004). Inherent in the idea of waiver of privilege is the understanding that the client is allowing disclosure of something that was previously privileged as a confidential communication. Id. at 463, 182 S.W.3d at 117. In the present case, Phillips testified that appellant, Leslie Paray, Jonny Cris Acuff, Sharon Acuff, Scott Acuff, and appellant's cousin, Danny Johnson, came to her office in Fayetteville. She testified that appellant's family discussed an issue regarding a body located on their property. She conveyed to them that she was not a criminal-law attorney, and, believing that they were not involved in the murder, she advised that they call the sheriff. Phillips left the room, and when she returned, she obtained their consent and placed the call to the sheriff on speaker phone. Phillips further testified that at no time was she alone with appellant. Thus, we conclude that Phillips's testimony illustrates appellant's waiver of the attorney-client privilege and appellant's consent to call the police. Further, we note that the credibility of witnesses who testify at a suppression hearing is for the trial judge to determine, and we defer to the superior position of the trial judge in matters of credibility. See Otis v. State, 364 Ark. 151, 217 S.W.3d 839 (2005). Here, the circuit court gave weight to Phillips's statement that appellant consented to Phillips's disclosure to law-enforcement officers. Because the circuit court was in the superior position to determine Phillips's credibility, we hold that the court did not err in its ruling.