Section 912 Of Chapter 3. General Provisions Relating To Privileges From California Evidence Code >> Division 8. >> Chapter 3.
912
. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the right of
any person to claim a privilege provided by Section 954
(lawyer-client privilege), 966 (lawyer referral service-client
privilege), 980 (privilege for confidential marital communications),
994 (physician-patient privilege), 1014 (psychotherapist-patient
privilege), 1033 (privilege of penitent), 1034 (privilege of clergy
member), 1035.8 (sexual assault counselor-victim privilege), 1037.5
(domestic violence counselor-victim privilege), or 1038 (human
trafficking caseworker-victim privilege) is waived with respect to a
communication protected by the privilege if any holder of the
privilege, without coercion, has disclosed a significant part of the
communication or has consented to disclosure made by anyone. Consent
to disclosure is manifested by any statement or other conduct of the
holder of the privilege indicating consent to the disclosure,
including failure to claim the privilege in any proceeding in which
the holder has legal standing and the opportunity to claim the
privilege.
(b) Where two or more persons are joint holders of a privilege
provided by Section 954 (lawyer-client privilege), 966 (lawyer
referral service-client privilege), 994 (physician-patient
privilege), 1014 (psychotherapist-patient privilege), 1035.8 (sexual
assault counselor-victim privilege), 1037.5 (domestic violence
counselor-victim privilege), or 1038 (human trafficking
caseworker-victim privilege), a waiver of the right of a particular
joint holder of the privilege to claim the privilege does not affect
the right of another joint holder to claim the privilege. In the case
of the privilege provided by Section 980 (privilege for confidential
marital communications), a waiver of the right of one spouse to
claim the privilege does not affect the right of the other spouse to
claim the privilege.
(c) A disclosure that is itself privileged is not a waiver of any
privilege.
(d) A disclosure in confidence of a communication that is
protected by a privilege provided by Section 954 (lawyer-client
privilege), 966 (lawyer referral service-client privilege), 994
(physician-patient privilege), 1014 (psychotherapist-patient
privilege), 1035.8 (sexual assault counselor-victim privilege),
1037.5 (domestic violence counselor-victim privilege), or 1038 (human
trafficking caseworker-victim privilege), when disclosure is
reasonably necessary for the accomplishment of the purpose for which
the lawyer, lawyer referral service, physician, psychotherapist,
sexual assault counselor, domestic violence counselor, or human
trafficking caseworker was consulted, is not a waiver of the
privilege.