If law enforcement presents an arrest warrant for a former client and asks for the client's current address, what should you do?

Prepare for the LPCC Law and Ethics Test 2. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations. Enhance your understanding of ethics and legal standards for effective counseling practice.

Confidentiality protects a former client just as it does a current one, and information like a current address isn’t shared simply because law enforcement asks. An arrest warrant for the client does not automatically authorize you to disclose their whereabouts. The appropriate response is to withhold the address unless a valid, properly served legal instrument specifically requires disclosure and limits what you must release. In practice, you would verify the legitimacy and scope of any demand, and, if uncertain, seek legal counsel or guidance on what must be disclosed. If a properly issued order does exist that explicitly commands you to reveal information, you would comply with that exact requirement and nothing more.