Court Opinion

ID: 9642546
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 18:02:27.647406+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:49.524011
License: Public Domain

NYE, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority’s decision to reverse the conviction of the sexual abuse of a child. Their interpretation and application of the mental health privilege provided by Rule 510(b)(1) of our Texas Rules of Evidence1 is incorrect. In addition, the admission of the same evidence without objection throughout the trial cured the error, if any there was.
Article 5561h and Rule 510(b)(1) are the operative statutory provisions relevant to this case. However, I fail to see how a determination of this issue disposes of appellant’s claim that the admission of his communications to Dr. Nelson violated this patient/psychologist privilege. The privilege was not available to this defendant under the facts of this particular case. The majority’s holding makes two fallacious assumptions: (1) that the conversations between appellant and Dr. Nelson were in the nature of diagnosis, evaluation or treatment; and (2) that, if the testimony was not admissible (because it was privileged), it was reversible error.
*718The stated purpose of this privilege between a “patient/client and a professional” is to facilitate effective mental health treatment. See Gaynier v. Johnson, 673 S.W.2d 899 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1984, no writ). Likewise, the purpose of its predecessor statute (article 5561h) was to protect mentally incompetent persons from the abuse of psychiatric examination and the use of the information thus gathered for any purpose other than civil commitment. A.D.P. v. State, 646 S.W.2d 568 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1982, no writ). Under the facts of this case, the appellant does not qualify as a “patient/client” as envisioned by Rule 510(a)(2). The definition under Rule 510a(2) states:
(2) Patient means any person who (A) consults, or is interviewed by, a professional for purposes of diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of any mental or emotional condition or disorder, including alcoholism and drug addiction; or (B) is being treated voluntarily or being examined for admission to voluntary treatment for drug abuse.
There was no evidence that the appellant saw Dr. Nelson for “diagnosis, evaluation or treatment” as the rule requires for the confidentiality to be privileged. It is the proof of the existence of the relationship, rather than the specific context of the statement made, that determines the nature of the communication and privilege. See: Gaynier v. Johnson, 673 S.W.2d at 903. As such, I would hold that the communications between appellant and Dr. Nelson during the family counseling interview were not within the privilege of confidentiality afforded by Rule 510.
The record shows that appellant and his wife were referred to a family counseling service provided by Dr. Nelson as part of an on-going investigation by the Texas Department of Human Resources (TDHR) involving two prior complaints of sexual abuse of two of the children living with appellant and his wife. Dr. Nelson testified that, on March 25, 1983, appellant and his wife voluntarily attended their appointment with her to talk about family problems, primarily the allegations of sexual abuse of appellant’s stepdaughter, who had been removed from their home at that time. She explained that appellant and his wife were scheduled to come in to her office for counseling two or three times before, but these appointments were either cancelled or they did not show up. Further, Gloria Ramirez, another employee of TDHR, testified that she had been assigned a case involving M. P. (the victim) and the appellant. She stated that, on March 11, 1983, when she discussed counseling with appellant, he responded that “counseling was a waste of time.” Ramirez testified that, again, on March 14, 1983, she discussed a counseling appointment with appellant, and he stated that “he wasn’t going” because it was a waste of time.
The majority’s opinion assumes that appellant was seeking professional services for purposes of “diagnosis, evaluation or treatment of any mental or emotional condition or disorder.” The record does not support the majority’s position. Cf. Tumlinson v. State, 663 S.W.2d 539 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1983, pet. ref’d.). In Tumlinson, the defendant went to the emergency room of the hospital complaining that he was “nervous, anxious and had been contemplating suicide.” In this case, the testimony of the “professional,” Dr. Nelson, does not show that the primary reason appellant and his wife went to her family service center was for consultation or treatment of an emotional or mental condition.
Contrary to the underlying position of the majority opinion, the record simply does not reveal that, at any point throughout the TDHR investigation, appellant or his wife were seeking professional help for some psychological or emotional problem. Appellant’s visit with Dr. Nelson was for family counseling, not treatment of a mental disorder as a patient. Appellant testified that he told Dr. Nelson that he “would go along with M.P.’s story” because he was fearful that he would never see M.P. again. Appellant stated that he was told by Dr. Nelson that he was “going to have to cooperate” if he wanted M.P. to come back home. Appellant clearly was not pressured *719to attend the family sessions with Dr. Nelson; he was not under arrest; he was not subject to a court order to see the therapist; and he was not seeking treatment, evaluation or diagnosis of his health. His testimony of his “fears” of losing his stepdaughter does not serve to elevate the relationship with Dr. Nelson to that of one of “patient/client-professional.”
Article 38.10 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure defines competent witnesses. Nowhere in this article does it exempt the testimony of Dr. Nelson. The appellant claims the privilege under the Texas Rules of Civil Evidence, and, as such, the burden is upon him to prove the privilege. This he did not do. It is well established that the burden of establishing a given fact is on the party who asserts it. See, e.g., City of Houston v. Jones, 679 S.W.2d 557, 559 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1984, no writ) (one seeking benefit of a statutory exception has burden); Christoph v. Sims, 234 S.W.2d 901, 904 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1950, writ ref’d n.r.e.) (one claiming lack of capacity to marry must prove it); Munzesheimer v. Leopold, 163 S.W.2d 663, 665 (Tex.Civ.App.—Galveston 1942, writ ref’d w.o.m.) (infirmities in abstract of judgment must be shown by one seeking to remove cloud on title based on filing of abstract). In the same manner, the burden of establishing a testimonial privilege is on the one asserting it. Cunningham v. State, 488 S.W.2d 117, 121 (Tex.Crim.App.1972); McGrede v. Rembert National Bank, 147 S.W.2d 580, 584 (Tex.Civ.App.—Texarkana 1941, writ dism’d judgmt cor.). While none of these authorities deal directly with Rule 510, this reasoning is additionally supported by Rules 512 and 513, which speak extensively of a claim of privilege by a party, which claims may impliedly be “defeated.” See TEX.R.EVID. 512, 513.
I would hold that appellant does not fall within the category of a “patient/client” under Rule 510(a)(2). It is obvious that the appellant never did envision that his visit with Dr. Nelson was that of the category of patient as the rule requires. As such, the communications between appellant and Dr. Nelson during that interview were not within the privilege of confidentiality afforded by Rule 510 of the Rules of Evidence.
This case must be affirmed for another reason. The majority opinion also fails to recognize that the testimony of Dr. Nelson was cumulative of the testimony of other witnesses whose testimony was not objected to by appellant. The fifteen-year-old victim, M.P., testified without objection that, on March 8, 1983, she was forced to have sex with her mother and father (the appellant). She explained in graphic detail how the appellant had placed his mouth in contact with her genitals. She testified that this type of conduct by appellant happened “so many times ...,” and that, when this happened, her mother, her brother, the appellant, and herself were all present.
Next, the State called the victim’s brother, a ten-year-old boy, to the stand. He testified without objection, that he had seen the appellant and his sister, M.P., sitting naked together on the bed in his mother’s bedroom. He demonstrated, without objection, specific sexual acts involving the appellant, M.P. and his mother, with the use of anatomical dolls.2 He also demonstrated before the jury and without objection that appellant had touched him in his “penis area” when he was naked.
Additionally, Elda Villarreal, a “non-professional” (as defined by Rule 510a(l)), testified that, on May 25, 1983, she had gone to talk to appellant and his wife for two purposes: 1) to investigate a referral of child abuse concerning the ten-year-old boy *720and 2) to provide on-going services involving the sexual abuse of M.P. When asked by the State if the appellant said anything to her on that date, appellant objected that any such communication between appellant and Villarreal was privileged under article 5561h. The trial court correctly overruled the objections, and Villarreal testified that, in reference to his sexual abuse of M.P., appellant told her “he did not know how it had all begun.” On cross-examination, counsel for appellant asked Villarreal if she had any doubt that when “Mr. Mosby [the appellant] said, T do not know how it all got started,’ that he was referring to the ‘sexual abuse of M.P.’” Villarreal reasserted that she had no doubts that appellant was referring specifically to sexual abuse of M.P. because “I was there engaging in the conversation with him.”
Any error in the admission of Dr. Nelson’s testimony did not constitute reversible error because the same evidence, in fact, considerably more, was admitted throughout the trial without objection. Boles v. State, 598 S.W.2d 274, 279-80 (Tex.Crim.App.1980); Silguero v. State, 654 S.W.2d 492, 494 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1983, pet. ref’d); Rathmell v. State, 653 S.W.2d 498, 501 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1983, pet. ref’d). Appellant has clearly failed to show that he was harmed or prejudiced to such an extent that would require a reversal of the jury’s verdict. There was other competent and believable evidence which supports the jury’s conviction of appellant.
Appellant’s ground of error should be overruled, and the judgment of the trial court should be affirmed.

. Article 5561h § 2(a) mandates that:
"Communication between a patient/client and a professional is confidential and shall not be disclosed except as provided in section 4 of this Act.”
On November 23, 1982, the Supreme Court of Texas entered an order adopting and promulgating the Texas Rules of Evidence, to become effective on September 1, 1983, under which article 556 lh is deemed repealed, insofar as it relates to civil actions, and replaced by Rule 510, which also provides for “Confidentiality of Mental Health Information.” TEX.R.EVID. 510. Rule 510(b)(1) provides that: "Communication between a patient/client and a professional is confidential and shall not be disclosed."
We note the drafter’s comment to Rule 510 states that it only governs these disclosures in judicial or administrative proceedings and whether a professional may or must disclose such communications in other circumstances is governed by article 5561h. (Emphasis added.)

. During a recess, the trial court gave the following interpretation of this demonstration made by the witness:
"in response to the State’s questions, the witness placed the doll representing the Defendant on the doll’s back then placed the back [sic] representing [M.P.] with her legs spread and sitting on the face of the doll representing the Defendant. The doll representing the mother of the witness was placed astride the doll representing Mr. Mosby, the Defendant, straddled his body facing him and also with her front to the back of the doll representing [M.P.]