Title 42, JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE

(a) Certification.--A judge of a state court of record in another state, which by its laws has made provision for commanding persons confined in penal institutions within that state to attend and testify in this Commonwealth, may certify: (1) that there is a criminal proceeding o…

(a) General rule.--If at the hearing the court determines: (1) that the witness may be material and necessary; (2) that his attending and testifying are not adverse to the interests of this Commonwealth or to the health or legal rights of the witness; (3) that the laws of the sta…

The order to the witness and to the person having custody of the witness shall provide for the return of the witness at the conclusion of his testimony, proper safeguards on his custody, and proper financial reimbursement or prepayment by the requesting jurisdiction for all expen…

If a person confined in a penal institution in any other state may be a material witness in a criminal action pending in a court of record or in a grand jury investigation in this Commonwealth, a judge of the court may certify: (1) that there is a criminal proceeding or investiga…

The court in this Commonwealth may enter an order directing compliance with the terms and conditions prescribed by the judge of the state in which the witness is confined.

If a witness from another state comes into or passes through this Commonwealth under an order directing him to attend and testify in this or another state, he shall not, while in this Commonwealth pursuant to the order, be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or cri…

In order to promote the best interests of the residents of this Commonwealth who are under 18 years of age, especially those who are material witnesses to or victims of crimes, the General Assembly declares its intent, in this subchapter, to provide, where necessity is shown, pro…

The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Child" or "children." An individual or individuals under 18 years of age. "Contemporaneous alternative method." Any …

(a) Designation of persons to act on behalf of children.--Courts of common pleas may designate one or more persons as a child advocate to provide the following services on behalf of children who are involved in criminal proceedings as victims or material witnesses: (1) To explain…

2004 Repeal. Section 5984 was repealed July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, effective immediately.

(a) Recording.--Subject to subsection (b), in any prosecution or adjudication involving a child victim or child material witness, the court may order that the child victim's or child material witness's testimony be recorded for presentation in court by any method that accurately …

(a) Contemporaneous alternative method.--Subject to subsection (a.1), in any prosecution or adjudication involving a child victim or a child material witness, the court may order that the testimony of the child victim or child material witness be taken under oath or affirmation i…

(a) General rule.-- (1) An out-of-court statement made by a child victim or witness, who at the time the statement was made was 16 years of age or younger, describing any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (2), not otherwise admissible by statute or rule of evidence, is admi…

(a) General rule.--A statement made by a child describing acts and attempted acts of indecent contact, sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse performed with or on the child by another, not otherwise admissible by statute or court ruling, is admissible in evidence in a d…

In any criminal proceeding charging physical abuse, indecent contact or any of the offenses enumerated in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 31 (relating to sexual offenses), the court shall permit the use of anatomically correct dolls or mannequins to assist a child in testifying on direct examinat…

(a) Release of name prohibited.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in a prosecution involving a minor victim of sexual or physical abuse, the name of the minor victim shall not be disclosed by officers or employees of the court to the public, and any rec…

In order to promote the best interests of residents of this Commonwealth with intellectual disabilities or autism who are material witnesses or victims of crime, the General Assembly declares its intent, in this subchapter, to provide, where necessity is shown, procedures that wi…

The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Autism spectrum disorder." Any of the pervasive developmental disorders defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Ma…

(a) General rule.--An out-of-court statement made by an individual with an intellectual disability or autism who is a victim or witness describing any of the offenses enumerated in subsection (b), not otherwise admissible by statute or rule of evidence, is admissible in evidence …