Witnesses

• Witnesses
  Overview of the role of witnesses in court cases in Ireland.
• Types of witnesses
  Different types of witnesses that can be encountered in a court of law in Ireland.
• Functions and Duties of a Witness in a Civil Case
  Outline of the functions and duties of a court witness in a civil trial in Ireland.
• Who can be forced to be a witness?
  This document describes situations when a person can be compelled (forced) to give evidence in a court of law.
• How you are called as a witness
  This document describes the procedure for calling a person as a witness in a court case and explains entitlement to witness expenses.
• Witnesses under 18 years
  Rules under which witnesses under 17 years may give evidence in the District Court, the Circuit Court or the Central Criminal Court in Ireland.
• The procedure for being a witness
  Steps involved in giving evidence as a witness in a court of law in Ireland.
• Affidavits
  An afffidavit is a sworn written statement that sets out the evidence that a witness wishes to give in court in Ireland.
• Rules relating to your evidence
  There are specific rules in place in Ireland that govern the giving of evidence by witnesses in a court of law.
• The right to refuse to answer a question in court
  The circumstances under which a witness can refuse to answer a question put to him or her in a court of law in Ireland.
• Giving evidence by television-link
  Recent legislation in Ireland has introduced the concept of video-link evidence in cases. This document discusses situations when witnesses in a court case are permitted to give their evidence via television-link.
• Video recording of statements of child victims
  Victims under 14 years of age may not have to give live evidence in court in criminal proceedings.
• Competence of a witness
  This document discusses the question of who is competent to be a witness and sets out people who are not considered to be competent witnesses.
• Admissibility of certain witness statements in a criminal trial
  What happens if a witness refuses to give evidence in a criminal trial? This law on this area is covered by the Criminal Justice Act 2006.
• Hostile witness
  A hostile witness is a witness who appears unwilling to tell the truth. Find out how a hostile witness is treated in court here.