These landmark cases represent pivotal issues for APsA members. These are issues that impact psychoanalysts on a professional level, such as medical privacy, as well as those that are of much broader social concern, such as gay rights and marriage equality.

Often, landmark cases are the outcome of a legal case that establishes a precedent that either substantially changes the interpretation of the law or that simply establishes new case law on a particular issue.

• Binder v. Ruvell, Circuit Court of Cook County (June 24, 1952)
  First U.S. case on psychotherapist-patient privilege.
• Jaffee v. Redmond, United States Supreme Court Opinion (1996)
  Establishment of federal psychotherapist-patient privilege.
• Jaffee v. Redmond Apellate Opinion (1995)
  Excerpt describing the June, 1991 shooting which led to the case.
• Swidler & Berlin and James Hamilton v. United States Supreme Court Opinion (June 25, 1998)
  Lawyer-client privilege remains in force after client’s death.
• Whalen v. Roe Supreme Court Opinion (February 22,1977)
  Important confidentiality case on New York State triplicate prescription law. Law was partially repealed August 6,1998.
• United Seniors Association v. Shalala, U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia (July 19, 1999)
• Lancaster v. American Psychoanalytic Association, New York State Supreme Court (December 10, 2002)
• Shrager v. Magellan, Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny, PA (March 10, 2003)
  Maryland State Board of Physicians v. Harold I. Eist, M.D., Court of Special Appeals (September 2007)
  • Summary by Jim Pyles, counsel for amici curiae
  • Organizations signed on to amici curiae
  • Court of Special Appeals Opinion