Spousal privileges in the federal law - Legal Digest

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, August, 2003 by Robert Kardell

(41) 128 F.Supp.2d 291 (United States District Court, D. Maryland, Southern Division, 2001)

(42) United States v. Archer, 733 F.2d 354 (5th Cir. 1984) (court limited adverse spousal testimony to in court testimony); United States v. Chapman, 866 F.2d 1326 (11th Cir. 1989) (out-of-court statements cannot be excluded by the adverse spousal testimony privilege); United States v. Mackiewicz, 401 F.2d 219 (2nd Cir. 1968), cert. denied, 393 U.S. 923, 89 S. Ct. 253, (1968) (spouse's out-of-court statements can be testified to by third party); United States v. Doughty, 460 F.2d 1360 (7th Cir. 1972) (estate tax return of spouse was admissible because spouse did not testify against defendant); United States v. Cleveland, 477 F.2d 310 (7th Cir. 1973) (defendant sought to suppress any statements or investigative leads procured from his wife by a government agent but court held that statements and leads are admissible); United States v. Tsinnijinnie, 601 F.2d 1035 (9th Cir. 1979) cert. denied, 445 U.S. 966, 100 S. Ct. 1657, (1980) (court admitted excited utterance of spouse); United States v. Lefkowitz, 618 F.2d 1313 (9th Cir. 1980) (court allowed information supplied by spouse for use in search warrant).

(43) Supra note 3 at 53 and 914, supra note 9.

(44) See generally FRE 1101 (d)(2).

(45) 754 F.2d 863 (9th Cir. 1985).

(46) Id. at 864.

(47) Id. at 864.

(48) 414 U.S. 338, 94 S. Ct. 613 (1974).

(49) Id. at 346, at 619.

(50) Appeal of Witness Malfitano, 633 F.2d 276 (3rd Cir. 1980), and In re Gary Snoonian, 502 F.2d 110 (1st Cir. 1974).

(51) United States v. Squillacote, 221 F.3d 542, 559 (4th Cir. 2000).

(52) Id. at 560.

(53) Supra note 41 (Cleveland).

(54) A note of caution should be added here, however. The closer a privilege begins to resemble constitutional rights, taint analyisis may be applied. See United States v. Danielson, 325 F.3d 1054 (9th Cir. 2003) (infringing on the attorney-client privilege can invoke Sixth Amendment taint analysis by the court).

(55) Id. at 313.

(56) 344 F.2d 770 (5th Cir. 1965).

(57) Id. at 772.

(58) 447 F.2d 894 (5th Cir. 1971).