(1) There are particular relations in which it is the policy of the law to encourage confidence and to preserve it inviolate; therefore, a person must not be examined as a witness in the following cases: (a) (I) Except as otherwise provided in section 14-13-310 (4), C.R.S., a husband shall not be examined for or against his wife without her consent nor a wife for or against her husband without his consent; nor during the marriage or afterward shall either be examined without the consent of the other as to any communications made by one to the other during the marriage; but this exception does not apply to a civil action or proceeding by one against the other, a criminal action or proceeding for a crime committed by one against the other, or a criminal action or proceeding against one or both spouses when the alleged offense occurred prior to the date of the parties' marriage. However, this exception shall not attach if the otherwise privileged information is communicated after the marriage. (II) The privilege described in this paragraph (a) does not apply to class 1, 2, or 3 felonies as described in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(IV) and (1)(a)(V), C.R.S., or to level 1 or 2 drug felonies as described in section 18-1.3-401.5 (2)(a), C.R.S. In this instance, during the marriage or afterward, a husband shall not be examined for or against his wife as to any communications intended to be made in confidence and made by one to the other during the marriage without his consent, and a wife shall not be examined for or against her husband as to any communications intended to be made in confidence and made by one to the other without her consent. (III) Communications between a husband and wife are not privileged pursuant to this paragraph (a) if such communications are made for the purpose of aiding the commission of a future crime or of a present continuing crime. (IV) The burden of proving the existence of a marriage for the purposes of this paragraph (a) shall be on the party asserting the claim. (V) Notice of the assertion of the marital privilege shall be given as soon as practicable but not less than ten days prior to assertion at any hearing. (a.5) (I) Except as otherwise provided in section 14-13-310 (5), C.R.S., a partner in a civil union shall not be examined for or against the other partner in the civil union without the other partner's consent, nor during the civil union or afterward shall either be examined without the consent of the other as to any communications made by one to the other during the civil union; except that this exception does not apply to a civil action or proceeding by one against the other, a criminal action or proceeding for a crime committed by one against the other, or a criminal action or proceeding against one or both partners when the alleged offense occurred prior to the date of the parties' certification of the civil union. However, this exception shall not attach if the otherwise privileged information is communicated after the certification of the civil union. (II) The privilege described in this paragraph (a.5) does not apply to class 1, 2, or 3 felonies as described in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(IV) and (1)(a)(V), C.R.S., or to level 1 or 2 drug felonies as described in section 18-1.3-401.5 (2)(a), C.R.S. In this instance, during the civil union or afterward, a partner in a civil union shall not be examined for or against the other partner in the civil union as to any communications intended to be made in confidence and made by one to the other during the civil union without the other partner's consent. (III) Communications between partners in a civil union are not privileged pursuant to this paragraph (a.5) if such communications are made for the purpose of aiding the commission of a future crime or of a present continuing crime. (IV) The burden of proving the existence of a civil union for the purposes of this paragraph (a.5) shall be on the party asserting the claim. (V) Notice of the assertion of the privilege described in this paragraph (a.5) shall be given as soon as practicable but not less than ten days prior to assertion at any hearing. (VI) For the purposes of this paragraph (a.5), "partner in a civil union" means a person who has entered into a civil union established in accordance with the requirements of article 15 of title 14, C.R.S. (b) An attorney or licensed legal paraprofessional shall not be examined without the consent of the attorney's or licensed legal paraprofessional's client as to any communication made by the client to the attorney or licensed legal paraprofessional or to any advice given to the client by the client's attorney or licensed legal paraprofessional in the course of professional employment; nor shall an attorney's or licensed legal paraprofessional's secretary, paralegal, legal assistant, stenographer, or clerk be examined without the consent of the attorney or licensed legal paraprofessional concerning any fact, the knowledge of which is acquired in the person's capacity as the attorney's or licensed legal paraprofessional's employee. (c) A clergy member, minister, priest, or rabbi shall not be examined without both his or her consent and also the consent of the person making the confidential communication as to any confidential communication made to him or her in his or her professional capacity in the course of discipline expected by the religious body to which he or she belongs. (d) A physician, surgeon, or registered professional nurse duly authorized to practice his or her profession pursuant to the laws of this state or any other state shall not be examined without the consent of his or her patient as to any information acquired in attending the patient that was necessary to enable him or her to prescribe or act for the patient, but this paragraph (d) shall not apply to: (I) A physician, surgeon, or registered professional nurse who is sued by or on behalf of a patient or by or on behalf of the heirs, executors, or administrators of a patient on any cause of action arising out of or connected with the physician's or nurse's care or treatment of such patient; (II) A physician, surgeon, or registered professional nurse who was in consultation with a physician, surgeon, or registered professional nurse being sued as provided in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (d) on the case out of which said suit arises; (III) A review of a physician's or registered professional nurse's services by any of the following: (A) The governing board of a hospital licensed pursuant to part 1 of article 3 of title 25, C.R.S., where said physician or registered professional nurse practices or the medical staff of such hospital if the medical staff operates pursuant to written bylaws approved by the governing board of such hospital; (B) An organization authorized by federal or state law or contract to review physicians' or registered professional nurses' services or an organization which reviews the cost or quality of physicians' or registered professional nurses' services under a contract with the sponsor of a nongovernment group health-care program; (C) The Colorado medical board, the state board of nursing, or a person or group authorized by such board to make an investigation in its behalf; (D) A peer review committee of a society or association of physicians or registered professional nurses whose membership includes not less than one-third of the medical doctors or doctors of osteopathy or registered professional nurses licensed to practice in this state and only if the physician or registered professional nurse whose services are the subject of review is a member of such society or association and said physician or registered professional nurse has signed a release authorizing such review; (E) A committee, board, agency, government official, or court to which appeal may be taken from any of the organizations or groups listed in this subparagraph (III); (IV) A physician or any health-care provider who was in consultation with the physician who may have acquired any information or records relating to the services performed by the physician specified in subparagraph (III) of this paragraph (d); (V) A registered professional nurse who is subject to any claim or the nurse's employer subject to any claim therein based on a nurse's actions, which claims are required to be defended and indemnified by any insurance company or trust obligated by contract; (VI) A physician, surgeon, or registered professional nurse who is being examined as a witness as a result of his consultation for medical care or genetic counseling or screening pursuant to section 13-64-502 in connection with a civil action to which section 13-64-502 applies. (e) A public officer shall not be examined as to communications made to him in official confidence, when the public interests, in the judgment of the court, would suffer by the disclosure. (f) (I) A certified public accountant shall not be examined without the consent of his or her client as to any communication made by the client to him or her in person or through the media of books of account and financial records or his or her advice, reports, or working papers given or made thereon in the course of professional employment; nor shall a secretary, stenographer, clerk, or assistant of a certified public accountant be examined without the consent of the client concerned concerning any fact, the knowledge of which he or she has acquired in such capacity. (II) No certified public accountant in the employ of the state auditor's office shall be examined as to any communication made in the course of professional service to the legislative audit committee either in person or through the media of books of account and financial records or advice, reports, or working papers given or made thereon; nor shall a secretary, clerk, or assistant of a certified public accountant who is in the employ of the state auditor's office be examined concerning any fact, the knowledge of which such secretary, clerk, or assistant acquired in such capacity, unless such information has been made open to public inspection by a majority vote of the members of the legislative audit committee. (III) (A) Subpoena powers for public entity audit and reviews. Subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (f) shall not apply to the Colorado state board of accountancy, nor to a person or group authorized by the board to make an investigation on the board's behalf, concerning an accountant's reports, working papers, or advice to a public entity that relate to audit or review accounting activities of the certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm being investigated. (B) For the purposes of this subparagraph (III), a "public entity" shall include a governmental agency or entity; quasi-governmental entity; nonprofit entity; or public company that is considered an "issuer", as defined in section 2 of the federal "Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002", 15 U.S.C. sec. 7201. (IV) (A) Subpoena powers for private entity audit and reviews. Subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (f) shall not apply to the Colorado state board of accountancy, nor to a person or group authorized by the board to make an investigation on the board's behalf, concerning an accountant's reports or working papers of a private entity that is not publicly traded and relate to audit or review attest activities of the certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm being investigated. This subparagraph (IV) shall not be construed to authorize the Colorado state board of accountancy or its agent to subpoena or examine income tax returns. (B) At the request of either the client of the certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm or the certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm subject to the subpoena pursuant to this subsection (1)(f)(IV), a second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant with no interest in the matter may review the report or working papers for compliance with the provisions of article 100 of title 12. The second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant conducting the review must be approved by the board prior to beginning its review. The approval of the second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant shall be in good faith. The written report issued by a second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant shall be in lieu of a review by the board. Such report shall be limited to matters directly related to the work performed by the certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm being investigated and should exclude specific references to client financial information. The party requesting that a second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant review the reports and working papers shall pay any additional expenses related to retaining the second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant by the party who made the request. The written report of the second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant shall be submitted to the board. The board may use the findings of the second certified public accounting firm or certified public accountant as grounds for discipline pursuant to article 100 of title 12. (V) Disclosure of information under subsection (1)(f)(III) or (1)(f)(IV) of this section shall not waive or otherwise limit the confidentiality and privilege of such information nor relieve any certified public accountant, any certified public accounting firm, the Colorado state board of accountancy, or a person or group authorized by such board of the obligation of confidentiality. Disclosure that is not in good faith of such information shall subject the board, a member thereof, or its agent to civil liability pursuant to section 12-100-104 (4). (VI) Any certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm that receives a subpoena for reports or accountant's working papers related to the audit or review attest activities of the accountant or accounting firm pursuant to subparagraph (III) or (IV) of this paragraph (f) shall notify his or her client of the subpoena within three business days after the date of service of the subpoena. (VII) Subparagraph (III) or (IV) of this paragraph (f) shall not operate as a waiver, on behalf of any third party or the certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm, of due process remedies available under the "State Administrative Procedure Act", article 4 of title 24, C.R.S., the open records laws, article 72 of title 24, C.R.S., or any other provision of law. (VIII) Prior to the disclosure of information pursuant to subparagraph (III) or (IV) of this paragraph (f), the certified public accountant, certified public accounting firm, or client thereof shall have the opportunity to designate reports or working papers related to the attest function under subpoena as privileged and confidential pursuant to this paragraph (f) or the open records laws, article 72 of title 24, C.R.S., in order to assure that the report or working papers shall not be disseminated or otherwise republished and shall only be reviewed pursuant to limited authority granted to the board under subparagraph (III) or (IV) of this paragraph (f). (IX) No later than thirty days after the board of accountancy completes the investigation for which records or working papers are subpoenaed pursuant to subparagraph (III) or (IV) of this paragraph (f), the board shall return all original records, working papers, or copies thereof to the certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm. (X) Nothing in subparagraphs (III) and (IV) of this paragraph (f) shall cause the accountant-client privilege to be waived as to customer financial and account information of depository institutions or to the regulatory examinations and other regulatory information relating to depository institutions. (XI) For the purposes of subparagraphs (III) to (X) of this paragraph (f), "entity" shall have the same meaning as in section 7-90-102 (20), C.R.S. (g) A licensed psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, social worker, or addiction counselor, an unlicensed psychotherapist, a certified addiction counselor, a psychologist candidate registered pursuant to section 12-245-304 (3), a marriage and family therapist candidate registered pursuant to section 12-245-504 (4), a licensed professional counselor candidate registered pursuant to section 12-245-604 (4), or a person described in section 12-245-217 shall not be examined without the consent of the licensee's, certificate holder's, registrant's, candidate's, or person's client as to any communication made by the client to the licensee, certificate holder, registrant, candidate, or person or the licensee's, certificate holder's, registrant's, candidate's, or person's advice given in the course of professional employment; nor shall any secretary, stenographer, or clerk employed by a licensed psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, social worker, or addiction counselor, an unlicensed psychotherapist, a certified addiction counselor, a psychologist candidate registered pursuant to section 12-245-304 (3), a marriage and family therapist candidate registered pursuant to section 12-245-504 (4), a licensed professional counselor candidate registered pursuant to section 12-245-604 (4), or a person described in section 12-245- 217 be examined without the consent of the employer of the secretary, stenographer, or clerk concerning any fact, the knowledge of which the employee has acquired in such capacity; nor shall any person who has participated in any psychotherapy, conducted under the supervision of a person authorized by law to conduct such therapy, including group therapy sessions, be examined concerning any knowledge gained during the course of such therapy without the consent of the person to whom the testimony sought relates. (h) A qualified interpreter, pursuant to section 13-90-202, who is called upon to testify concerning the communications he interpreted between a hearing-impaired person and another person, one of whom holds a privilege pursuant to this subsection (1), shall not be examined without the written consent of the person who holds the privilege. (i) A confidential intermediary, as defined in section 19-1-103, must not be examined as to communications made to the intermediary in official confidence when the public interests, in the judgment of the court, would suffer by the disclosure of such communications. (j) (I) (A) If any person or entity performs a voluntary self-evaluation, the person, any officer or employee of the entity or person involved with the voluntary self-evaluation, if a specific responsibility of such employee was the performance of or participation in the voluntary self-evaluation or the preparation of the environmental audit report, or any consultant who is hired for the purpose of performing the voluntary self-evaluation for the person or entity may not be examined as to the voluntary self-evaluation or environmental audit report without the consent of the person or entity or unless ordered to do so by any court of record, or, pursuant to section 24-4-105, C.R.S., by an administrative law judge. For the purposes of this paragraph (j), "voluntary self-evaluation" and "environmental audit report" have the meanings provided for the terms in section 13-25-126.5 (2). (B) This paragraph (j) does not apply if the voluntary self-evaluation is subject to an exception allowing admission into evidence or discovery pursuant to the provisions of section 13-25-126.5 (3) or (4). (II) This paragraph (j) applies to voluntary self-evaluations that are performed on or after June 1, 1994. (k) (I) A victim's advocate shall not be examined as to any communication made to such victim's advocate by a victim of domestic violence, as defined in section 18-6-800.3 (1), C.R.S., or a victim of sexual assault, as described in sections 18-3-401 to 18-3-405.5, 18-6-301, and 18- 6-302, C.R.S., in person or through the media of written records or reports without the consent of the victim. (II) For purposes of this paragraph (k), a "victim's advocate" means a person at a battered women's shelter or rape crisis organization or a comparable community-based advocacy program for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and does not include an advocate employed by any law enforcement agency: (A) Whose primary function is to render advice, counsel, or assist victims of domestic or family violence or sexual assault; and (B) Who has undergone not less than fifteen hours of training as a victim's advocate or, with respect to an advocate who assists victims of sexual assault, not less than thirty hours of training as a sexual assault victim's advocate; and (C) Who supervises employees of the program, administers the program, or works under the direction of a supervisor of the program. (l) (I) A parent may not be examined as to any communication made in confidence by the parent's minor child to the parent when the minor child and the parent were in the presence of an attorney representing the minor child, or in the presence of a physician who has a confidential relationship with the minor child pursuant to paragraph (d) of this subsection (1), or in the presence of a mental health professional who has a confidential relationship with the minor child pursuant to paragraph (g) of this subsection (1), or in the presence of a clergy member, minister, priest, or rabbi who has a confidential relationship with the minor child pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subsection (1). The exception may be waived by express consent to disclosure by the minor child who made the communication or by failure of the minor child to object when the contents of the communication are demanded. This exception does not relieve any physician, mental health professional, or clergy member, minister, priest, or rabbi from any statutory reporting requirements. (II) This exception does not apply to: (A) Any civil action or proceeding by one parent against the other or by a parent or minor child against the other; (B) Any proceeding to commit either the minor child or parent, pursuant to title 27, C.R.S., to whom the communication was made; (C) Any guardianship or conservatorship action to place the person or property or both under the control of another because of an alleged mental or physical condition of the minor child or the minor child's parent; (D) Any criminal action or proceeding in which a minor's parent is charged with a crime committed against the communicating minor child, the parent's spouse, the parent's partner in a civil union, or a minor child of either the parent or the parent's spouse or the parent's partner in a civil union; (E) Any action or proceeding for termination of the parent-child legal relationship; (F) Any action or proceeding for voluntary relinquishment of the parent-child legal relationship; or (G) Any action or proceeding on a petition alleging child abuse, dependency or neglect, abandonment, or non-support by a parent. (III) For purposes of this paragraph (l): (A) "Minor child" means any person under the age of eighteen years. (B) "Parent" includes the legal guardian or legal custodian of a minor child as well as adoptive parents. (C) "Partner in a civil union" means a person who has entered into a civil union in accordance with the requirements of article 15 of title 14, C.R.S. (m) (I) A law enforcement or firefighter peer support team member, emergency medical service provider or rescue unit peer support team member, or district attorney or public defender peer support team member must not be examined without the consent of the person to whom peer support services have been provided as to any communication made by the person to the peer support team member under the circumstances described in subsection (1)(m)(IV) of this section; nor is a recipient of peer support services to be examined as to any such communication without the recipient's consent. (I.5) and (I.6) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2024.) (II) Recipients of group peer support services must not be examined as to any knowledge gained from other recipients of group peer support services without the consent of the person to whom the knowledge relates. (III) As used in this subsection (1)(m): (A) "Communication" means an oral statement, written statement, note, record, report, or document made during, or arising out of, a meeting with a peer support team member. (B) "District attorney or public defender peer support team member" means an employee of a district attorney's office or a public defender's office who has been trained in peer support skills and who is officially designated by a district attorney or the state public defender as a member of a district attorney's office peer support team or an office of the state public defender peer support team. (C) "Emergency medical service provider or rescue unit peer support team member" means an emergency medical service provider, as defined in section 25-3.5-103, a regular or volunteer member of a rescue unit, as defined in section 25-3.5-103, or other person who has been trained in peer support skills and who is officially designated by the supervisor of an emergency medical service agency as defined in section 25-3.5-103 or a chief of a rescue unit as a member of an emergency medical service provider's peer support team or rescue unit's peer support team. (D) "Group peer support services" means peer support interactions comprised of at least one peer support member and more than one recipient of group peer support services and includes any group meeting conducted or facilitated by one or more peer support team members for the purpose of peer support or incident debriefing. (E) "Law enforcement or firefighter peer support team member" means a peace officer, civilian employee, or volunteer member of a law enforcement agency or a regular or volunteer member of a fire department or other person who has been trained in peer support skills and who is officially designated by a police chief, the chief of the Colorado state patrol, a sheriff, or a fire chief as a member of a law enforcement agency's peer support team or a fire department's peer support team. (IV) This subsection (1)(m) applies only to communications made during interactions conducted by a peer support team member: (A) Acting in the person's official capacity as a law enforcement or firefighter peer support team member, emergency medical service provider or rescue unit peer support team member, or district attorney or public defender peer support team member; and (B) Functioning within the written peer support guidelines that are in effect for the person's respective law enforcement agency, fire department, emergency medical service agency, rescue unit, district attorney's office, or public defender's office. (V) This subsection (1)(m) does not apply in cases in which: (A) A law enforcement or firefighter peer support team member, emergency medical service provider or rescue unit peer support team member, or district attorney or public defender peer support team member was a witness or a party to an incident which prompted the delivery of peer support services; (B) Information received by a peer support team member is indicative of actual or suspected child abuse, as described in section 18-6-401; actual or suspected child neglect, as described in section 19-3-102; or actual or suspected crimes against at-risk persons, as described in section 18-6.5-103; (C) Due to intoxication by alcohol, being under the influence of drugs, or incapacitation by substances as described in section 27-81-111, the person receiving peer support is a clear and immediate danger to the person's self or others; (D) There is reasonable cause to believe that the person receiving peer support has a mental health disorder and, due to the mental health disorder, is an imminent threat to himself or herself or others or is gravely disabled as defined in section 27-65-102; or (E) There is information indicative of any criminal conduct. (2) The medical records produced for use in the review provided for in subparagraphs (III), (IV), and (V) of paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of this section shall not become public records by virtue of such use. The identity of any patient whose records are so reviewed shall not be disclosed to any person not directly involved in such review process, and procedures shall be adopted by the Colorado medical board or state board of nursing to ensure that the identity of the patient shall be concealed during the review process itself. (3) The provisions of subsection (1)(d) of this section shall not apply to physicians required to make reports in accordance with section 12-240-139. In addition, the provisions of subsections (1)(d) and (1)(g) of this section shall not apply to physicians or psychologists eligible to testify concerning a criminal defendant's mental condition pursuant to section 16-8- 103.6. Physicians and psychologists testifying concerning a criminal defendant's mental condition pursuant to section 16-8-103.6 do not fall under the attorney-client privilege in subsection (1)(b) of this section.
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