For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 38
Confidential Communications Privilege
& Spousal Competency Privilege
The Who, What, and When of a
Non-Testifying Spouse
A
Lauren Dentone
s criminal defense practitioners, we have
a litany of legal strategies available that
may be employed to exclude potentially
damaging and inculpatory evidence. One such
strategy at our disposal is the use of spousal
privilege. Having said that, raise your hand if
you have ever successfully invoked this magical
unicorn. Seeing few hands; the reality is that
many of us never encounter, let alone seek,
spousal privilege. But, if this privilege ever
becomes available, this article intends to arm you
with the tools needed for its effective use.
Pennsylvania's two spousal privileges are
separate and distinct from one another.1 They
are formally referred to as "Confidential
Communications Between Spouses," and
"Spouses as Witnesses Against Each Other."
Each privilege applies differently with respect
to the status of the marital state (separated or
divorced), and each privilege prompts various
interplay between the other, dependent on that
marital status.
Confidential Communications Privilege
Spousal privilege diverges into two distinct
offerings: the "confidential communications
privilege" and the testimonial "spousal
competency privilege." Both the confidential
communications and the testimonial spousal
competency privilege may only be invoked
between spouses, or persons sharing the "marital
state."
Pennsylvania's confidential communications
privilege provides that "...[i]n a criminal
proceeding neither husband nor wife shall
be competent or permitted to testify to
confidential communications made by one to the
other, unless this privilege is waived upon the
trial."2 "Confidential communication" is "any
communication [that was] confidential when
[it was] made and which [was] made during
38
For The Defense l Vol. 5, Issue 2
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2
Contents
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 1
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 2
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - Contents
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 4
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 5
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 6
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 7
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 8
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 9
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 10
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 11
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 12
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 13
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 14
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 15
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 16
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 17
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 18
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 19
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 20
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 21
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 22
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 23
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 24
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 25
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 26
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 27
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 28
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 29
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 30
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 31
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 32
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 33
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 34
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 35
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 36
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 37
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 38
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 39
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 40
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 41
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 42
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 43
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 44
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 45
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 46
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 47
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 48
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 49
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 50
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 51
For the Defense - Vol. 5, Issue 2 - 52
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol9_issue1_2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue4_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue3_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue2_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol8_issue1_2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue4_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue3_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue2_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol7_issue1_2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue4_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue3_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue2_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol6_issue1_2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue4_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue3_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue2_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol5_issue1_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue4_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue3_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue2_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol4_issue1_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue4_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue3_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue2_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol3_issue1_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue4_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue3_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue2_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pacdl/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol2_issue1_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue4_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue3_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue2_2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/PACDL/FORTHEDEFENSE_vol1_issue1_2016
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com