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.