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Illinois Compiled Statutes

735 ILCS 5/8-803 (2026)

Clergy

✓ current as of May 2026
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(735 ILCS 5/8-803) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-803)
    Sec. 8-803. Clergy. A clergyman or practitioner of any religious denomination accredited by the religious body to which he or she belongs, shall not be compelled to disclose in any court, or to any administrative board or agency, or to any public officer, a confession or admission made to him or her in his or her professional character or as a spiritual advisor in the course of the discipline enjoined by the rules or practices of such religious body or of the religion which he or she professes, nor be compelled to divulge any information which has been obtained by him or her in such professional character or as such spiritual advisor.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2014–2022 · leading case: People v. Peterson, 2017 IL 120331 (Ill. 2017).
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People v. Peterson, 2017 IL 120331 (Ill. 2017). “This statutory privilege provides in relevant part: "A clergyman or practitioner of any religious denomination accredited by the religious body to which he or she belongs, shall not be compelled to disclose in any court *** a confession or admission made to him or her in his or…”
Doe v. Catholic Diocese, 2015 IL App (2d) 140618 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 6× “Respondents argue that petitioner’s Rule 224 petition was insufficiently pleaded and that, even if the petition were sufficient, disclosure is prohibited under the clergy-penitent privilege, codified at section 8-803 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Code) (735 ILCS 5/8-803 (West…”
People v. Thomas, 2014 IL App (2d) 121001 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). · cites it 3× “ich he or she belongs, shall not be compelled to disclose in any court, or to any administrative board or agency, or to any public officer, a confession or admission made to him or her in his or her professional character or as a spiritual advisor in the course of the discipline…”
Doe v. Catholic Diocese, 2015 IL App (2d) 140618 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 6× “Respondents argue that petitioner’s Rule 224 petition was insufficiently pleaded and that, even if the petition were sufficient, disclosure is prohibited under the clergy-penitent privilege, codified at section 8-803 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Code) (735 ILCS 5/8-803 (West…”
People v. Thomas, 2014 IL App (2d) 121001 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). · cites it 3× “e religious body to which he or she belongs, shall not be compelled to disclose in any court, or to any administrative board or agency, or to any public officer, a confession or admission made to him or her in his or her professional character or as a spiritual advisor in the…”
Brunton v. Kruger, 2015 IL 117663 (Ill. 2015). “3 (West 2012)); Clergy (735 ILCS 5/8-803 (West 2012)); Union agent and union member (735 ILCS 5/8-803.”
People v. Peterson, 2017 IL 120331 (Ill. 2018). “” 735 ILCS 5/8-803 (West 2008). ¶ 66 The trial court ruled that defendant had no standing to assert the clergy privilege and Schori’s conversation with Stacy, which occurred in a public setting (a coffee shop), was not confidential.”
Harris v. One Hope United, 2013 IL App (1st) 131152 (Ill. App. Ct. 2014). “Examples include the marital privilege (725 ILCS 5/115-16 (West 2012); 735 ILCS 5/8-801 (West 2012)); physician-patient privilege (735 ILCS 5/8-802 (West 2012)); informant’s privilege (735 ILCS 5/8-802.”
People v. Thodos, 2015 IL App (2d) 140995 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 6× “At defendant’s bench trial, Robert Sutter invoked the clergy-penitent privilege (735 ILCS 5/8-803 (West 2012)), claiming that, as defendant’s “spiritual advisor,” he could not be forced to testify about an incriminating admission defendant made to him.”
People v. Peterson, 2017 IL 120331 (Ill. 2018). “” 735 ILCS 5/8-803 (West 2008). - 15 - ¶ 66 The trial court ruled that defendant had no standing to assert the clergy privilege and Schori’s conversation with Stacy, which occurred in a public setting (a coffee shop), was not confidential.”
People v. Hernandez-Pedraza, 2022 IL App (2d) 191123-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2022). “¶ 23 During Penkava’s testimony, he invoked the clergy-penitent privilege (735 ILCS 5/8-803 (West 2018)). The jury was excused while the court considered whether this privilege could be invoked at all, and to what extent.”
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