Wisconsin Statutes 971.108 – Elder person victims and witnesses; duty to preserve testimony
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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 971.108
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Sworn: includes "affirmed" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Testify: Answer questions in court.
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(1) In this section, “elder person” means any individual who is 60 years of age or older.
(2) In all criminal and delinquency cases and juvenile dispositional hearings involving a crime victim or witness who is an elder person, the district attorney may file a motion to preserve the testimony of the crime victim or witness. If the court finds good cause to do so, the court shall conduct a hearing within 60 days of the date the motion was filed to preserve the testimony of the crime victim or witness. The hearing shall be before the court. The defendant shall be present at the hearing. The crime victim or witness shall be sworn as a witness and shall be subject to cross-examination and rebuttal if not unduly repetitious. The witness may testify in person, or, upon a showing by the proponent of good cause under s. 807.13 (2) (c), testimony may be received into the record of the hearing by telephone or live audiovisual means. The hearing shall be recorded, and the recorded testimony of the witness shall be admissible in evidence in any court proceeding in the case.