Legal Definitions - privacy privilege

Privacy privilege is a legal right that grants a person or a group of people exemption or immunity from disclosing private information. It is a type of privilege that protects individuals from liability for conduct that would otherwise be considered wrongful. There are different types of privileges, including:

• Absolute privilege: This type of privilege protects an actor from any lawsuit, even if the action was wrongful or done with an improper motive.
• Qualified privilege: This type of privilege protects an actor from a lawsuit only if the privilege is properly exercised in the performance of a legal or moral duty.
• Privacy privilege: This type of privilege allows a defendant to refuse to disclose private information unless the plaintiff can show that the information is directly relevant to the case and that the plaintiff's need for the information outweighs the defendant's need for nondisclosure.

For example, in California, privacy privilege is recognized, and a defendant can refuse to disclose private information unless the plaintiff can prove that the information is directly relevant to the case and that the plaintiff's need for the information outweighs the defendant's need for nondisclosure. This privilege protects individuals from having to disclose private information that could be used against them in a