Rule 911 Except as otherwise provided by statute: (a) No person has a privilege to refuse to be a witness.

In California courts, people generally cannot refuse to be a witness, answer questions, or hand over documents and objects when required. There is no automatic right to stay silent or hide information just because someone wants to.

However, the rule does leave room for exceptions. Other laws can give people specific privileges that let them keep certain things private. Common examples include the right not to testify against yourself, or the protections that apply to conversations with a lawyer or doctor.

You also cannot stop someone else from testifying or sharing information just because you would prefer they stay quiet. If another person is called as a witness or asked to produce something, your personal wishes do not give you the power to block them.