Section B.2.d of the ACA (2014) stipulates that in cases where a court orders the release of privileged or private information without the client's permission, the counselor must get written authorization from the client or take appropriate measures to prevent disclosure of information or limit it as much as possible to prevent potential harm to the counselor-client relationship. Even when Sheila is opposed to the information made public, there are ethical things a counselor may do to resolve these reasons (American Counseling Association, 2014). Additionally, counselors are required under the ACA Code of Ethics to respect the privacy of their clients' or prospective clients' information, although they must get consent. Additionally, Section B.1.c of the ACA Code of Ethics mandates that counselors maintain the privacy of their clients' and potential clients' confidential information; however, they must obtain the client's consent before disclosing such information, and they must only do so for good legal or ethical. In my opinion, it will be morally challenging to break the client's confidence. Still, as a counselor, I would consult the ACA Codes of Ethics portions mentioned above to avoid any legal repercussions should I refuse to comply with a court-ordered subpoena.

Aside from doing no damage, our clients' main responsibility under the Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct is to safeguard their private information. The behavior rule clarifies that "Unless it isn't possible or is inappropriate, the debate of privacy transpires at the beginning of the collaboration and subsequently as new situations might justify" (ACA 2014). In my capacity as a counselor, one of my duties is to inform my clients about confidentiality at the beginning of treatment and many times it is violated due to government-imposed restrictions. I would carefully evaluate the whole scenario by speaking with my client to determine the best course of action before proceeding with any portion of the session. I would have a full assessment of the whole problem and discuss the nature of the conflict with my client before proceeding with any aspect of the session. After that, I would make sure to carefully study the subpoena to make sure I understood what they were requesting of me, speak with a supervisor, and then get legal counsel. After getting any advice, I would speak with my client about how they would like me to proceed and go over their confidentiality in detail. If they consent to the information release, I will record the discussion, get a signed release agreement from the client, and only reveal the material requested by the subpoena, exposing as little as feasible (ACA 2014). I would notify the lawyer that a formal, signed court order would be required to release the documents if the client is still unwilling to have them released.

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