Review of religious confession privilege in early evidence texts -- Religious confession privilege in historical context -- Religious confession and privilege in canon law -- Religious confession privilege at common law from the seventeenth century to the twentieth century -- Religious communications privilege at common law -- Theories about the extinction of religious confession privilege -- Religious confession at common law in Australia -- Religious confession privilege at common law in the United Kingdom and Ireland -- Religious confession privilege in the United States -- Religious confession privilege in Canada and New Zealand -- Religious confession privilege in South Africa -- Policy : should there be a religious confession privilege? -- Conclusion
Summary
Despite what most evidence law texts say, religious confession privilege does exist at common law. This book provides proof from both historical and common law materials with consequences even in jurisdictions where the privilege now exists in statutory form
