Mathews v. Harris

Plaintiffs, mandated reporters, filed suit alleging that the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), Pen. Code, 11164 et seq., violates their patients' constitutional right to privacy. CANRA requires certain individuals, including family therapists and clinical counselors, to report to law enforcement or child welfare agencies patients who disclose that they have developed, downloaded, streamed, or accessed child pornography through electronic or digital media. The court concluded that the privacy interest of patients who communicate that they watch child pornography is outweighed by the state's interest in identifying and protecting sexually abused children; there is no fundamental right at issue in this case; and CANRA satisfies the rational basis test for determining the validity of a legislative enactment. Accordingly, the trial court properly dismissed the complaint. View "Mathews v. Harris" on Justia Law