Civic & Holden
Ever considered how the law treats the privacy of psychological evaluations?
Sure, I’ve looked into that a lot. In most jurisdictions, psychological evaluations are treated as highly confidential, protected under privacy laws and professional ethics. The evaluator’s notes are usually shielded from public disclosure, and only the patient, a designated medical provider, or a court with a proper order can access them. That’s why, when we draft consent forms, we emphasize that the records can’t be shared without explicit permission—unless a court specifically demands it. It’s all about balancing the patient’s right to privacy with any legitimate legal needs.
Sounds thorough, but I’d wager most people underestimate how often those “proper orders” end up being pretty broad—so it’s really a question of how much we’re willing to trust the system to guard the privacy after the fact.