Rule 501 General Rule

When you are involved in a court case, you may have the right to keep certain information private. These rights are called "privileges." For example, what you tell your doctor or lawyer is usually private and protected.

In Ohio, these privacy rights come from two places: laws passed by the state legislature, or long-standing legal traditions that Ohio courts have recognized over time. Courts look at past cases and common sense when deciding what counts as a protected privilege.

If you think certain information in your case should be kept private, Ohio law will determine whether you can actually protect it. The specific rules depend on what kind of information it is and what relationship is involved, such as a doctor-patient or attorney-client relationship.