Legal Definitions - confidential communication

Confidentialcommunication refers to private conversations between two people who trust each other and believe that the conversation will be kept confidential. This can include oral, written, or nonverbal statements.

Examples of confidential communication include:

• Conversations between a married couple
• Conversations between a doctor and patient
• Conversations between an attorney and their client

These conversations are recognized by the law as private and protected from disclosure, unless one of the parties waives this protection. However, for the conversation to be considered confidential, it must be intended to be private and held in private. If the conversation was held in a public place where others could overhear it, it would not be considered protected.

In some cases, a party in the conversation can waive this privilege and disclose what was discussed. For example, in some states, both parties in a marriage can prevent their spouse from testifying against them and disclosing private conversations. In other states, the testifying spouse can decide whether they want to disclose the conversation.

Another example is attorney-client relationships. Attorneys are not allowed to disclose private conversations they had with their client.

Overall, confidential communication is an important aspect of privacy and trust between individuals in certain relationships. It allows for open and honest communication without fear of the conversation being used against them in the future.