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California court restores case by therapists on porn privacy

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Posted at 8:27 PM, Dec 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-26 23:27:50-05

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The California Supreme Court has revived a long-running debate by reinstating a lawsuit over whether psychotherapists must tell authorities when patients report that they are attracted to child pornography.

Lower courts previously threw out the lawsuit by therapists who say California's mandatory reporting law violates patient confidentiality.

The therapists also say it dissuades patients from admitting that they view child pornography.

A split high court on Thursday sent the issue back to a lower court, where state and county legal officials must show whether the mandatory reporting protects children.