The Psychotherapist-Patient Privilege in Child Placement: A Relevancy Analysis

Abstract

This article focuses on the statutorily-recognized psychotherapist-patient privilege, including a history of its evolution, a discussion of its use in child-placement cases, and a proposal for an appropriate analytical approach to the privilege issue based on logical relevancy. The latter part of the article examines the constitutional right to privacy as it applies to the privilege, including a review of pertinent judicial decisions and a discussion of a proposed analytical approach in the constitutional context.