California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Brillantes v. Superior Court, 51 Cal.App.4th 323, 58 Cal.Rptr.2d 770 (Cal. App. 1996):
"The constitutional right to privacy is not absolute. [Citations.] It may be outweighed by supervening concerns. [Citation.] The state has enough of an interest in discovering the truth in legal proceedings, that it may compel disclosure of confidential material. [Citation.] '[A]n individual's medical records may be relevant and material in the furtherance of this legitimate state purpose....' [Citation.] An 'intrusion upon constitutionally protected areas of privacy requires a "balancing of the juxtaposed rights, and the finding of a compelling state interest." [Citations.]' [Citation.]" (Palay v. Superior Court, supra, at p. 933, 22 Cal.Rptr.2d 839.)
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.