How Far Does Clergy Confidentiality Go Under Common Law?

Confidential communication with clergy has been protected for centuries under the common law. This means that clergy do not have to disclose the content of those discussions. How far does that confidentiality extend? The answer varies depending on the state statute, but a federal magistrate judge in Kansas says that it is fairly limited under common law. United States v. Dillard, 11-1098-JTM-KGG (D. Kan. March 7, 2013) is not precedential, but the analysis is interesting and could show how other courts will approach the problem.

See the rest of this post on the Religious Law Network.