# Why all the disclaimers about legal advice?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-all-the-disclaimers-about-legal-advice/206602>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 10, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-all-the-disclaimers-about-legal-advice/206602 "2003-10-10T02:20:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-all-the-disclaimers-about-legal-advice/206602/21 "2003-10-12T21:57:31Z")

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The reason it is done more by lawyers than ,let’s say doctors or nurses, is simply because as is taught in law school - no one is as litigious as a law student (or anyone asking legal questions). No doctor on this board who may give medical advice/info really believes there is a doctor-patient relationship, but I notice some disclaimers, such as ask your own doctor too, but this is only for what seems the more serious problems.

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**Author:** ![piaffe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@piaffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piaffe)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-all-the-disclaimers-about-legal-advice/206602/22 "2003-10-13T02:08:31Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by constantine \*  
> \*\*You are correct that there is a tension here with the duty to protect communications with your client. But the attorney-client privilege only applies to communications. It does not apply to a document or thing that would other wise be discoverable.
> 
> If your client tells you he threw the murder weapon in the trashcan, that communication is privileged. _California v. Meredith_, 29 Cal. 3d 682 (1981).
> 
> But if he delivers evidence to you, that is a different story. If you come into possession of a piece of evidence, you may keep it long enough to obtain information that may be useful to your client’s defense, and then you must turn it over to the proper authorities. _Meredith_; _State v. Olwell_, 394 P.2d 681 (Wash. 1964).
> 
> \*\*

Suppose, though, that the DA doesn’t know that your client is guilty (he’s just one of a long list of suspects, hasn’t been charged, etc.). If you turn over the murder weapon, then doesn’t your action essentially inform the DA that your client is guilty, which was a privileged communication? It seems the _Meredith_ rule wouldn’t help here, because there’s no way to tell the jury where the weapon was found w/o also telling them that the lawyer was the source of the location.

Just curious…

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