Opinion ID: 1852842
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Nature of Psychiatric Examination

Text: In their 10th assignment Sim's attorneys allege that the courts below erred in failing to hold that Mrs. Sim was deprived of her right to be warned that the confidential relationship she has with her regular doctor no longer applies when she is being examined by a court-appointed doctor, and that her statements can be used against her. This assignment can be resolved quickly, for the characterization of the record by Sim's attorneys is not entirely accurate. While it is true that Dr. Kenney did not say to Sim in so many words that the statements she made could be used against her, he did tell Sim, as stated earlier, in part II, that the examination was not confidential because there would be a report to the court. To suggest that such advice is not enough to inform one mentally capable of understanding that no confidential relationship exists and that what she said would be used in the proceeding is ludicrous.