42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Chapter 59 - Depositions And Witnesses
Subchapter A. Witnesses Generally
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
- Section 5911 - Competency Of Witnesses Generally
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, all persons shall be fully competent witnesses in any criminal proceeding before any tribunal.
- Section 5912 - Effect Of Prior Convictions
No person shall be deemed incompetent or otherwise disqualified as a witness in any criminal proceeding by reason of the person's having been convicted...
- Section 5913 - Spouses As Witnesses Against Each Other
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, in a criminal proceeding a person shall have the privilege, which he or she may waive, not...
- Section 5914 - Confidential Communications Between Spouses
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, in a criminal proceeding neither husband nor wife shall be competent or permitted to testify to confidential...
- Section 5915 - Testimony By Spouse In Rebuttal
In any criminal proceeding brought against the husband or wife, if the defendant makes defense at the trial upon any ground which attacks the...
- Section 5916 - Confidential Communications To Attorney
In a criminal proceeding counsel shall not be competent or permitted to testify to confidential communications made to him by his client, nor shall...
- Section 5917 - Notes Of Evidence At Former Trial
Whenever any person has been examined as a witness, either for the Commonwealth or for the defense, in any criminal proceeding conducted in or...
- Section 5918 - Examination Of Defendant As To Other Offenses
No person charged with any crime and called as a witness in his own behalf, shall be asked, or if asked, shall be required...
- Section 5919 - Depositions In Criminal Matters
The testimony of witnesses taken in accordance with section 5325 (relating to when and how a deposition may be taken outside this Commonwealth) may...
- Section 5920 - Expert Testimony In Certain Criminal Proceedings
(a) Scope.--This section applies to all of the following: (1) A criminal proceeding for an offense for which registration is required under Subchapter H...
CIVIL MATTERS
- Section 5921 - Interest Not To Disqualify
In any civil matter before any tribunal of this Commonwealth, or conducted by virtue of its order or direction, no liability merely for costs...
- Section 5922 - Disqualification By Perjury
In a civil matter, a person who has been convicted in a court of this Commonwealth of perjury, which term is hereby declared to...
- Section 5923 - Confidential Communications Between Spouses
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, in a civil matter neither husband nor wife shall be competent or permitted to testify to confidential...
- Section 5924 - Spouses As Witnesses Against Each Other
(a) General rule.--In a civil matter neither husband nor wife shall be competent or permitted to testify against each other. (b) Exception.--Subsection (a) shall...
- Section 5925 - Testimony By Married Person Against Spouse In Rebuttal
In any civil action brought against a married person, if the defendant makes defense at the trial upon any ground which attacks the character...
- Section 5926 - Testimony By Spouse After Attack On Character Or Conduct
In all civil actions brought by either the husband or wife, either the husband or the wife shall be a competent witness in rebuttal,...
- Section 5927 - Actions By Spouse To Recover Separate Property
In any action brought by either the husband or wife to protect and recover the separate property of either, both shall be fully competent...
- Section 5928 - Confidential Communications To Attorney
In a civil matter counsel shall not be competent or permitted to testify to confidential communications made to him by his client, nor shall...
- Section 5929 - Physicians Not To Disclose Information
No physician shall be allowed, in any civil matter, to disclose any information which he acquired in attending the patient in a professional capacity,...
- Section 5930 - Surviving Party As Witness, In Case Of Death, Mental Incapacity, Etc
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, in any civil action or proceeding, where any party to a thing or contract in action is...
- Section 5931 - Incompetent Witnesses
No person who is incompetent under section 5922 (relating to disqualification by perjury), section 5923 (relating to confidential communications between spouses), section 5924 (relating...
- Section 5932 - Witness Competent To Testify Against Interest; To Become Competent Upon Release Of Interest
Any person who is incompetent under section 5930 (relating to surviving party as witness, in case of death, mental incapacity, etc.) by reason of...
- Section 5933 - Competency Of Surviving Party
(a) General rule.--In any civil action or proceeding before any tribunal of this Commonwealth, or conducted by virtue of its order or direction, although...
- Section 5934 - Notes Of Evidence At Former Trial
Whenever any person has been examined as a witness in any civil matter before any tribunal of this Commonwealth or conducted by virtue of...
- Section 5935 - Examination Of Person Adversely Interested
In any civil action or proceeding, whether or not it is brought or defended by a person representing the interests of a deceased or...
- Section 5936 - Medical Testimony By Deposition
(a) General rule.--The testimony of any physician licensed to practice medicine may be taken by oral interrogation in the manner prescribed by general rule...
CERTAIN PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
- Section 5941 - Persons Who May Be Compelled To Testify
(a) General rule.--Except defendants actually upon trial in a criminal proceeding, any competent witness may be compelled to testify in any matter, civil or...
- Section 5942 - Confidential Communications To News Reporters
(a) General rule.--No person engaged on, connected with, or employed by any newspaper of general circulation or any press association or any radio or...
- Section 5943 - Confidential Communications To Clergymen
No clergyman, priest, rabbi or minister of the gospel of any regularly established church or religious organization, except clergymen or ministers, who are self-ordained...
- Section 5944 - Confidential Communications To Psychiatrists Or Licensed Psychologists
No psychiatrist or person who has been licensed under the act of March 23, 1972 (P.L.136, No.52), to practice psychology shall be, without the...
- Section 5945 - Confidential Communications To School Personnel
(a) General rule.--No guidance counselor, school nurse, school psychologist, or home and school visitor in the public schools or in private or parochial schools...
- Section 5945.1 - Confidential Communications With Sexual Assault Counselors.
(a) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection: "Confidential communication." All...
- Section 5945.2 - Confidential Communications To Crime Stopper Or Similar Anticrime Program
(a) General rule.--No person engaged in, connected with or employed by any crime stopper or similar anticrime program shall be required in any manner...
- Section 5945.3 - Confidential Communications With Human Trafficking Caseworkers
(a) Sexual assault counselors.--An individual qualified as a sexual assault counselor under section 5945.1(a) (relating to confidential communications with sexual assault counselors) may serve...
- Section 5946 - Competency Of Certain Witnesses Where Political Subdivision Is A Party
A person shall not be excluded from being a witness in any action or proceeding in which a political subdivision is a party or...
- Section 5947 - Immunity Of Witnesses
(a) General rule.--Immunity orders shall be available under this section in all proceedings before: (1) Courts. (2) Grand juries. (3) Investigating grand juries. (4)...
- Section 5948 - Confidential Communications To Qualified Professionals
Communications of a confidential character made by a spouse to a qualified professional as defined in 23 Pa.C.S. § 3103 (relating to definitions) shall...
- Section 5949 - Confidential Mediation Communications And Documents
(a) General rule.--Except as provided in subsection (b), all mediation communications and mediation documents are privileged. Disclosure of mediation communications and mediation documents may...
- Section 5950 - Confidential Communications Involving Law Enforcement Officers
(a) Disclosure.--Except as provided under subsection (c), a critical incident stress management team member who, while in the course of duty, has acquired information...
- Section 5951 - Confidential Communications Involving Public Safety Responders And Corrections Officers
(a) Disclosure.--Except as provided under subsection (c), a critical incident stress management team member who, while in the course of duty, has acquired information...
- Section 5952 - Confidential Communications To Peer Support Members
(a) Disclosure.--Except as provided under subsection (c), a peer support member who, while in the course of duty, has acquired information from a law...
Subchapter B. Securing Attendance of Witnesses in Criminal Proceedings
Subchapter C. Rendition of Prisoners as Witnesses in Criminal Proceedings
Subchapter D. Child Victims and Witnesses
- Section 5981 - Declaration Of Policy
In order to promote the best interests of the residents of this Commonwealth who are under 18 years of age, especially those who are...
- Section 5982 - Definitions
The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly...
- Section 5983 - Rights And Services
(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...
- Section 5984 - Videotaped Depositions (Repealed)
§ 5984. Videotaped depositions (Repealed). 2004 Repeal. Section 5984 was repealed July 15, 2004, P.L.736, No.87, effective immediately.
- Section 5984.1 - Recorded Testimony
(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...
- Section 5985 - Testimony By Contemporaneous Alternative Method
(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...
- Section 5985.1 - Admissibility Of Certain Statements
(a) General rule.--An out-of-court statement made by a child victim or witness, who at the time the statement was made was 12 years of...
- Section 5986 - Hearsay
(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...
- Section 5987 - Use Of Dolls
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),...
- Section 5988 - Victims Of Sexual Or Physical Abuse
(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...
Last modified: October 8, 2016