VA · rules
Va. R. Evid. 2:503
Clergy and Communicant Privilege
A clergy member means any regular minister, priest, rabbi, or accredited practitioner over the
age of 18 years, of any religious or ganization or denomination usually referred to as a church. A
clergy member must not be required:
(a) in any civil action, to give testimony as a witness or to disclose in discovery proceedings
the contents of notes, records or any written documentation made by the clergy member, where
such testimony or disclosure would reveal any information communicated in a confidential
manner, properly entrusted to such clergy member in a professional capacity and necessary to
enable discharge of the functions of off ice according to the usual course of the clergy member's
practice or discipline, wherein the person so communicating such information about himself or
herself, or another, was seeking spiritual counsel and advice relating to and growing out of the
informat ion so imparted; and
(b) in any criminal action, in giving testimony as a witness to disclose any information
communicated by the accused in a confidential manner, properly entrusted to the clergy member
in a professional capacity and necessary to enable discharge of the functions of office according
to the usual course of the clergy member's practice or discipline, where the person so
communicating such information about himself or herself, or another, was seeking spiritual
counsel and advice relating to and growing out of the information so imparted.
History
Derivation: (derived from Code §§ 8.01- 400 and 19.2-271.3) Adopted and promulgated by Order dated June 1, 2012; effective July 1, 2012. Last amended by Order dated November 13, 2020; effective July 1, 2021.
Provenance
- Source
- www.vacourts.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-15
- Edition
- 2026-09-15
- Content hash
2b11116896607be91503004986734169f5d27bb14c7f4bf8e05055442ce70ea3
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