Appendix A

Statutory provisions relevant to child witnesses in sexual abuse cases*

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY
LIVE TESTIMONY                                                                                                      
Competency
child < 14, court determines		                                                           C,1                   C,1 C,1           C,1   C,1
child < 10, court determines S S,2 S S S,3 S S,4 S,2 S,3 S,R S,2 S S
child competent if understands oath S,R R C S S R
competent of understands oath R C C S,R S S R S R R R S R
every person competent R S R R S S R S S S S R R S S S S R S R
Abused child hearsay exception
child's age (in years)		 <10 <15 <13 <10 M <10 <10 M <10
court finds reliable S S S S S
child testifies S S S S S S S S
child unavailable, statement corroborated S S S 5 S
notice of introduction S S S
Exclusion of spectators from courtroom
victim/ witness age (in years)		 any =<16 any any <16 any <13 =<15 <18 any <18 any any <16 any any any M any any
during testimony only S 6 S S S 9 10 S S 6
public transcript provided S S S S
media exception S S S 8
family, guardian, moral support exceptions S S S S
MECHANICAL TESTIMONY
Videotaped testimony admissible
child's age (in years)		 =<16 <15 <17 =<15 =<15 <16 =<12 <14 <13 =<12 =<12 =<15 =<12 <18
defendant's presence specified S S S S S 9 S S S S 9 S
opportunity to cross-examination specified S S 10 S 10 S S S S
court findings required (footnote) 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
court findings include unavailability S S S
government may call child to testify S NO NO NO NO S
other (footnote) 20 21 22 23 24 25 21
Closed circuit testimony available
child's age (in years)		 =<12 =<14 =<12 =<12
defendant present, but child cannot hear or see S S S S
attorneys present S S S S
Abused child videotape/film
hearsay exception
child's age (in years)		 =<12 =<14 =<12
no attorneys present at taping S S S
interviewer/child available to testify S S S
SOURCE: Statutes were provided by State governments in the fall of 1984
* Except for age limits, all numbers refer to footnotes on following page
See Exhibit 2 for statutory citations and a brief description of related laws not included on the chart
KEY S = Statute (includes codified rules)
R = Rule of evidence (not codified)		 C = Case law only
M = Minor; child

1.  State most likely uses "14-year-old" common law standard.
2.  Exception: A child victim of a sexual offense is a competent witness and shall be allowed to testify without prior qualification in any judicial proceeding involving the alleged offense.  Trier of fact is to determine the weight and cre4dibility to be given to the testimony.
3.  Child under 12 years may not testify under oath unless court is satisfied that child understands the nature of an oath.
4.  Exception for sexual abuse cases repealed.  New language reads: "A child describing any act of sexual contact or penetration performed on or with the child by another may use language appropriate for a child of that age."
5.  Corroboration is not required.
6.  This provision applies to the preliminary hearing.
7.  This provision provides for in-camera testimony.
8.  Exception for a reasonable but limited number of members of the public.
9.  Defendant present, but the court to ensure child cannot hear or see defendant.
10.  Testimony to be taken under the Rules of Evidence.
11.  Court order "for good cause shown."
12.  Court finding "that further testimony would cause the victim emotional trauma so that the victim is medically unavailable or otherwise unavailable ..."
13.  Upon application, court to make preliminary finding whether "the victim is likely to be medically unavailable or otherwise unavailable ..."; at trial, court to find whether, "further testimony would cause the victim emotional trauma so that the victim is medically unavailable or otherwise unavailable ..."
14.  Court finding that, "there is substantial likelihood that such victim or witness would suffer severe emotional or mental distress if required to testify in open court."
15.  Court "expressly finds that the emotional or psychological well-being of the person would be substantially impaired if the person were to testify at trial."
16.  Court Rule.  Court order upon, "Showing that the child may be unable to testify without suffering unreasonable and unnecessary mental or emotional harm."  (Statute. Court order "for good cause shown.")
17.  For a child witness 12 years old or under, testimony may be videotaped without court findings.  For a witness greater than 12 years old, court must find the witness "is likely to suffer severe emotional or mental distress if required to testify in person ..."
18.  Court finding that "further testimony would cause the victim emotional trauma, or that the victim is otherwise unavailable ... or that such testimony would ... be substantially detrimental to the well-being of the victim ..."
19.  Court order where "there is a substantial likelihood that the child will otherwise suffer emotional or mental strain."
20.  The videotapes are listed as an exception to hearsay in R. Evid. R. 804.
21.  Testimony to be videotaped at preliminary hearing.
22.  Stenographical testimony or other court approved means also available.  Videotapes are specified in the videotape law as an exception to hearsay.
23.  Victim in prosecutions for sexual intercourse without consent if victim is less than 16 years; deviate sexual conduct, incest (no age specified).
24.  Videotapes are specified in the videotape law as an exception to hearsay.
25.  Videotape law applies to testimony presented to the Grand Jury.

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