Rule 1034 Subject to Section 912, a member of the clergy, whether or not a party, has a privilege to refuse to disclose a penitential communication if he or she…

A priest, pastor, rabbi, or other religious leader does not have to share what someone told them in a private religious confession or similar spiritual communication. This protection applies even if the clergy member is involved in the court case themselves.

The clergy member gets to decide whether to use this protection. If they choose to claim it, they can refuse to answer questions about what was said to them in confidence during a religious context. This right can be given up under certain conditions covered in Section 912, such as if the clergy member voluntarily shares the information on their own.