26:5C-9. Order of court to disclose record of AIDS, HIV infection

a. The record of a person who has or is suspected of having AIDS or HIV infection may be disclosed by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction which is granted pursuant to an application showing good cause therefor. At a good cause hearing the court shall weigh the public interest and need for disclosure against the injury to the person who is the subject of the record, to the physician-patient relationship, and to the services offered by the program. Upon the granting of the order, the court, in determining the extent to which a disclosure of all or any part of a record is necessary, shall impose appropriate safeguards to prevent an unauthorized disclosure.

b. A court may authorize disclosure of a person's record for the purpose of conducting an investigation of or a prosecution for a crime of which the person is suspected, only if the crime is a first degree crime and there is a reasonable likelihood that the record in question will disclose material information or evidence of substantial value in connection with the investigation or prosecution.

c. Except as provided in subsections a. and b. of this section, a record shall not be used to initiate or substantiate any criminal or civil charges against the person who is the subject of the record or to conduct any investigation of that person.

d. The court shall deny an application for disclosure of a person's record unless the court makes a specific finding that the program was afforded the opportunity to be represented at the hearing. A program operated by a federal, State or local government agency or department shall be represented at the hearing.

e. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize disclosure of any confidential communication which is otherwise protected by statute, court rule or common law.

L.1989, c.303, s.5.