Skip to main content
S 2450 110th Congress Senate Law Attorney-client privilege Evidence (Law) Government Operations and Politics State courts State laws

A bill to amend the Federal Rules of Evidence to address the waiver of the attorney-client privilege and the work product doctrine.

Introduced: December 11, 2007 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 21 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 19, 2008
Became Public Law No: 110-322.
Sep 19, 2008
Signed by President.
Sep 11, 2008
Presented to President.
Sep 8, 2008
Cleared for White House.
Sep 8, 2008
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Sep 8, 2008
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7817)
Sep 8, 2008
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7817)
Sep 8, 2008
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2450.
Sep 8, 2008
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7817-7820)
Sep 8, 2008
Ms. Jackson-Lee moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Feb 28, 2008
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 28, 2008
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Feb 28, 2008
Received in the House.
Feb 27, 2008
Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1317-1319; text as passed Senate: CR S1318-1319)
Feb 27, 2008
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S1317-1319; text as passed Senate: CR S1318-1319)
Feb 25, 2008
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 580.
Feb 25, 2008
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. With written report No. 110-264.
Jan 31, 2008
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Dec 11, 2007
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S15142)
Dec 11, 2007
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S15141-15142)
Dec 11, 2007
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Amends the Federal Rules of Evidence with respect to the disclosure of a communication or information covered by the attorney-client privilege and work product protection.

Provides that, when such a disclosure is made in a federal proceeding or to a federal office or agency, and waives the attorney-client privilege or work-product protection, the waiver extends to an undisclosed communication or information in a federal or state proceeding only if: (1) the waiver is intentional; (2) the disclosed and undisclosed communications or information concern the same subject matter; and (3) they ought in fairness to be considered together.

States that, when the disclosure is made in a federal proceeding or to a federal office or agency, it does not operate as a waiver in a federal or state proceeding if: (1) the disclosure is inadvertent; (2) the holder of the privilege or protection took reasonable steps to prevent disclosure; and (3) the holder promptly took reasonable steps to rectify the error.

Declares that, when the disclosure is made in a state proceeding and is not the subject of a state-court order concerning waiver, it does not operate as a waiver in a federal proceeding if the disclosure: (1) would not be a waiver under this rule if it had been made in a federal proceeding; or (2) is not waived under law of the state where the disclosure occurred.


What's happening now September 19, 2008

Became Public Law No: 110-322.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2