Definition

Noun: - The right of the government to refuse to reveal the identity of an informer: This is a legal privilege that allows government agencies to withhold the name or identifying details of a person who has provided confidential information, typically to law enforcement. It is intended to protect informants from retaliation and to encourage the free flow of information to authorities.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The prosecutor invoked the informer's privilege to protect the safety of the individual who provided the tip.
  • The defense attorney argued that the informer's privilege should be set aside because the informant's testimony was crucial to the case.

Advanced Usage

• "To assert/invoke the informer's privilege": The formal act by a government official or agency of claiming this right in a legal proceeding.
  • The state attorney general moved to assert the informer's privilege during the pretrial hearing.
• "To overcome/pierce the informer's privilege": When a court rules that the need for disclosure (e.g., for a fair trial) outweighs the government's interest in secrecy.
  • The judge found that the defendant's right to confront witnesses was sufficient to overcome the informer's privilege in this instance.

Variants and Related Words

• Privilege against disclosure (n): A broader legal term for the right to withhold information.
• Informer (n): A person who provides confidential information, especially to the police.
• Confidential informant (n): A more formal term for an informer, often used in legal and law enforcement contexts.

Synonyms

• Governmental privilege of nondisclosure: A more formal synonym emphasizing the government's right.
• Identity protection privilege: A descriptive term focusing on the aspect of protecting the informant's identity.

Related Phrases

• Balancing test: The judicial process of weighing the government's interest in secrecy against the defendant's need for the information.
  • The court applied a balancing test to the claim of informer's privilege.
• In camera review: A private examination of the confidential information by the judge, often used in conjunction with claims of this privilege.
  • The judge ordered an in camera review of the documents to evaluate the validity of the informer's privilege claim.

Noun

1. the right of the government to refuse to reveal the identity of an informer