Volume 75
Public Law 87–318
To prohibit the examination in District of Columbia courts of any minister of religion in connection with any communication made to him in his professional (rapacity, without the consent of the party to such communication.
Approved September 26, 1961
Statutory text
AN ACT
To prohibit the examination in District of Columbia courts of any minister of religion in connection with any communication made to him in his professional (rapacity, without the consent of the party to such communication.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That no priest,
D. C.
Clergy.
Privileged communication.
clergyman, rabbi, or other duly licensed, ordained, or consecrated minister of any religion authorized to perform a marriage ceremony in the District of Columbia or duly accredited practitioner of Christian Science shall be examined in any civil or criminal proceedings in the courts of the District of Columbia—
with respect to any confession, or communication, made to him, in his professional capacitor in the course of discipline enjoined by the church or other religious body to which he belongs, without the consent of the person making such confession or communication, or
with respect to any communication made to him, in his professional capacity in the course of giving religious or spiritual advice, without the consent of the person seeking such advice, or
with respect to any communication made to him, in his professional capacity, by either spouse, in connection with any effort to reconcile estranged spouses, without the consent of the spouse making the communication.
Approved September 26, 1961.