2A:84A-22.2 - Patient and physician privilege - New Jersey Statutes

2A:84A-22.2.  Patient and physician privilege
    Except as otherwise provided in this act, a person, whether or not a party,  has a privilege in a civil action or in a prosecution for a crime or violation  of the disorderly persons law or for an act of juvenile delinquency to refuse  to disclose, and to prevent a witness from disclosing, a communication, if he  claims the privilege and the judge finds that (a) the communication was a  confidential communication between patient and physician, and (b) the patient  or the physician reasonably believed the communication to be necessary or  helpful to enable the physician to make a diagnosis of the condition of the  patient or to prescribe or render treatment therefor, and (c) the witness (i)  is the holder of the privilege or (ii) at the time of the communication was the  physician or a person to whom disclosure was made because reasonably necessary  for the transmission of the communication or for the accomplishment of the  purpose for which it was transmitted or (iii) is any other person who obtained  knowledge or possession of the communication as the result of an intentional  breach of the physician's duty of nondisclosure by the physician or his agent  or servant and (d) the claimant is the holder of the privilege or a person authorized to claim the privilege for him.

     L.1968, c. 185, s. 2, eff. July 19, 1968.