Outcry witness
In United States criminal law, an outcry witness is the person who first hears an allegation of abuse made by a child or another victim of abuse or sexual crime.[1] The witness is legally obligated to report the abuse, and may be called upon during the trial proceedings.[1]
However, an outcry witness may be considered hearsay in court, and their testimony might not be allowed. This has prompted various states to pass "outcry" exceptions to their state code.[2] [3] In other states, such as California, these statements would fall under more general hearsay exceptions.[4]
References
- ^ a b "Outcry Witness Law & Legal Definition". USLegal, Inc. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
- ^ Peugh, Daniel. "The Illinois "Outcry" Hearsay Exception" (PDF). The Peugh Law Firm. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ "Texas Code of Criminal Procedure". FindLaw. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ "Evidence Code 1200 – Hearsay Rule and Exceptions in California". Shouse California Law Group. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
External links
- "Part Two: What Can We Do About Child Abuse?". What Can We Do About Child Abuse?. Attorney General of Texas. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
 | This legal term article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |