60-426. Attorney-client privilege. (a) General rule. Subject to K.S.A. 60-437, and amendments thereto, and except as otherwise provided by subsection (b), communications found by the judge to have been between an attorney and such attorney's client in the course of that relationship and in professional confidence, are privileged, and a client has a privilege: (1) If such client is the witness, to refuse to disclose any such communication; (2) to prevent such client's attorney from disclosing it; and (3) to prevent any other witness from disclosing such communication if it came to the knowledge of such witness (i) in the course of its transmittal between the client and the attorney, (ii) in a manner not reasonably to be anticipated by the client or (iii) as a result of a breach of the attorney-client relationship. The privilege may be claimed by the client in person or by such client's attorney, or if an incapacitated person, by either such person's guardian or conservator, or if deceased, by such person's personal representative.
(b) Exceptions. Such privileges shall not extend to a communication: (1) If the judge finds that sufficient evidence, aside from the communication, has been introduced to warrant a finding that the legal service was sought or obtained in order to enable or aid the commission or planning of a crime or a tort; (2) relevant to an issue between parties all of whom claim through the client, regardless of whether the respective claims are by testate or intestate succession or by inter vivos transaction; (3) relevant to an issue of breach of duty by the attorney to such attorney's client, or by the client to such client's attorney; (4) relevant to an issue concerning an attested document of which the attorney is an attesting witness; or (5) relevant to a matter of common interest between two or more clients if made by any of them to an attorney whom they have retained in common when offered in an action between any of such clients.
(c) Definitions. As used in this section:
(1) "Client" means a person or corporation or other association that, directly or through an authorized representative, consults an attorney or attorney's representative for the purpose of retaining the attorney or securing legal service or advice from the attorney in a professional capacity; and includes an incapacitated person who, or whose guardian on behalf of the incapacitated person, so consults the attorney or the attorney's representative in behalf of the incapacitated person.
(2) "Communication" includes advice given by the attorney in the course of representing the client and includes disclosures of the client to a representative, associate or employee of the attorney incidental to the professional relationship.
(3) "Attorney" means a person authorized, or reasonably believed by the client to be authorized, to practice law in any state or nation the law of which recognizes a privilege against disclosure of confidential communications between client and attorney.
History: L. 1963, ch. 303, 60-426; L. 1965, ch. 354, § 7; L. 2011, ch. 96, § 2; July 1.
Structure Kansas Statutes
60-403 Exclusionary rules not to apply to undisputed matter.
60-404 Effect of erroneous admission of evidence.
60-405 Effect of erroneous exclusion of evidence.
60-408 Preliminary inquiry by judge.
60-409 Facts which must or may be judicially noticed.
60-410 Determination as to propriety of judicial notice and tenor of matter noticed.
60-411 Instructing the trier of fact as to matter judicially noticed.
60-412 Judicial notice in proceedings subsequent to trial.
60-414 Effect of presumptions.
60-415 Inconsistent presumptions.
60-416 Burden of proof not relaxed as to some presumptions.
60-417 Disqualification of witness; interpreters.
60-419 Prerequisites of knowledge and experience.
60-420 Evidence generally affecting credibility.
60-421 Limitations on evidence of conviction of crime as affecting credibility.
60-422 Further limitations on admissibility of evidence affecting credibility.
60-424 Definition of incrimination.
60-426 Attorney-client privilege.
60-426a Attorney-client privilege and work product; limitations on waiver.
60-427 Physician-patient privilege.
60-428 Marital privilege, confidential communications.
60-429 Penitential communication privilege.
60-435 Communication to grand jury.
60-437 Waiver of privilege by contract or previous disclosure.
60-438 Admissibility of disclosure wrongfully compelled.
60-439 Reference to exercise of privilege; presumption and adverse inference not permitted.
60-440 Effect of error in overruling claim of privilege.
60-441 Evidence to test a verdict or indictment.
60-442 Testimony by the judge.
60-444 Testimony of jurors not limited except by this article.
60-445 Discretion of judge to exclude admissible evidence.
60-446 Character — manner of proof.
60-447 Character trait as proof of conduct.
60-448 Character trait for care or skill.
60-449 Habit or custom to prove specific behavior.
60-450 Opinion and specific instances of behavior to prove habit or custom.
60-451 Subsequent remedial conduct.
60-452 Offer to compromise and the like, not evidence of liability.
60-452a Dispute resolution; confidentiality.
60-453 Offer to discount claim, not evidence of invalidity.
60-455 Other crimes or civil wrongs.
60-456 Testimony in form of opinion or inferences.
60-457 Preliminary examination for non-expert witness; pre-trial hearing for expert witness.
60-458 Expert opinion or inference; facts or data relied upon, admissibility.
60-460 Hearsay evidence excluded; exceptions.
60-461 Discretion of judge under exception to exclude evidence.
60-462 Credibility of declarant.
60-464 Authentication or identification of evidence; examples.
60-465 Authentication of public documents; self-authenticating evidence.
60-466 Certificate of lack of record.
60-467 Original document required as evidence; exceptions.
60-468 Proof of attested writings.
60-469 Proving content of business and public records.
60-472 Photographs of property wrongfully taken.
60-480 Journalist privilege; definitions.
60-482 Same; compelled disclosure.
60-483 Same; hearing; disclosure.