Opinion ID: 1419202
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Waiver By Diana of Psychotherapist Privilege

Text: (18) At trial, counsel for defendant Perry requested permission to review the records of the Solano County Mental Health Department pertaining to treatment of Diana by psychotherapists. Counsel for the mental health department contended that the records were privileged under Evidence Code section 1014 [12] and asserted the privilege on Diana's behalf. [13] The court sustained the claim of privilege and refused to examine the records or to allow counsel for defendant to examine them. Perry assigns this ruling as error on the grounds that no privilege existed because the psychotherapists had been appointed by the court to examine Diana and that, even if the privilege existed, Diana had waived it. The psychotherapist privilege does not apply if the court appoints the psychotherapist to examine the patient. (Evid. Code, § 1017.) Diana testified that a probation officer had directed her to go to a psychiatrist at the Family Counselling Service in Vallejo. Nothing in the record indicates that a judge had ordered her to see this psychiatrist or that her purpose in seeing him was examination rather than treatment. Although a court had ordered Diana to be examined by a psychiatrist for possible commitment to the California Rehabilitation Center, the records sought by Perry do not pertain to that examination. Also, when the privilege was claimed in the trial court, Perry did not claim that no privilege existed. Perry cannot raise that claim for the first time on appeal. Concerning defendant's assertion that Diana waived the privilege, we note that Evidence Code section 912 provides that a privilege is waived if any holder of the privilege, without coercion, has disclosed a significant part of the communication or has consented to such disclosure made by anyone. Consent to disclosure is manifested by any statement or other conduct of the holder of the privilege indicating his consent to the disclosure, including his failure to claim the privilege in any proceeding in which he has the legal standing and opportunity to claim the privilege. In the trial court, Perry's counsel argued that Diana waived her psychotherapist privilege by giving certain testimony on cross-examination. [14] We have reviewed the statements Diana made at trial and are satisfied that she did not disclose a significant part of any communication with any psychotherapist. At most, her testimony disclosed that she had consulted two psychiatrists; she did not reveal the substance of her consultations. Mere admission that a psychotherapist-patient relationship exists does not disclose a significant part of the communication. (See In re Lifschutz (1970) 2 Cal.3d 415, 430 [85 Cal. Rptr. 829, 467 P.2d 557, 44 A.L.R.3d 1].) Neither does the revelation that certain subjects were not discussed. (Cf. People v. Hall (1942) 55 Cal. App.2d 343, 356-357 [130 P.2d 733].) Contrary to Perry's further contention, the holder of a privilege need not expressly claim the privilege to avoid its waiver. Even without an express assertion, the privilege is preserved until the holder discloses a substantial part of the privileged communication or until the holder remains silent in the face of a warning that disclosure of the privileged communication will be sought from other sources. (See Legislative Committee Comment to Evid. Code, § 912; Lissak v. Crocker Estate Company (1897) 119 Cal. 442, 445-446 [51 P. 688].)