2025 Code of Georgia
Title 24 - Evidence (Chs. 1 — 14)
Chapter 13 - Securing Attendance of Witnesses and Production and Preservation of Evidence (Arts. 1 — 7)
Article 4 - Uniform Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses From Without the State (§§ 24-13-90 — 24-13-97)

Annotations

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

In light of the similarity of the statutory provisions, decisions under former O. C. G. A. Art. 5, Ch. 10, T. 24 are included in the annotations for this Code section.

Application of rules of evidence. — Under Georgia’s new Evidence Code, unless a fact-finding proceeding involves one of the 12 situations enumerated in O. C. G. A. § 24-1-2(c) and (d), the rules of evidence fully apply; similarity to one or more of the enumerated situations is insufficient to limit the applicability of the evidence rules. Parker v. State, 296 Ga. 586, 769 S. E.2d 329, 2015 Ga. LEXIS 133 (2015).

Provisions of O. C. G. A. § 17-7-192, prohibiting a continuance due to the absence of witnesses when the accused failed to use the means provided in the former statutory provisions, which dealt with the accused’s right to obtain subpoenas for such witnesses as the accused may deem material for the accused’s defense, did not apply to the procedure set forth in former O. C. G. A. Art. 5, Ch. 10, T. 24 (see now O. C. G. A. Art. 4, Ch. 13, T. 24). Farrell v. State, 160 Ga. App. 321, 287 S. E.2d 318, 1981 Ga. App. LEXIS 3055 (1981) (decided under former O. C. G. A. Art. 5, Ch. 10, T. 24).

Defendant lacked standing to complain of any procedural irregularities involved in obtaining a witness whom the state procured by means of former O. C. G. A. Art. 5, Ch. 10, T. 24 (see now O. C. G. A. Art. 4, Ch. 13, T. 24). Moon v. State, 258 Ga. 748, 375 S. E.2d 442, 1988 Ga. LEXIS 521 (1988), cert. denied, 499 U. S. 982, 111 S. Ct. 1638, 113 L. Ed. 2d 733, 1991 U. S. LEXIS 2295 (1991) (decided under former O. C. G. A. Art. 5, Ch. 10, T. 24).

Under O. C. G. A. § 24-1-2(b), the rules of evidence apply to a proceeding for issuance of a material witness certificate under the out-of-state witness act unless one of the exceptions in § 24-1-2(c) or (d) applies. Parker v. State, 296 Ga. 586, 769 S. E.2d 329, 2015 Ga. LEXIS 133 (2015).

Research References & Practice Aids

Securing attendance of witnesses at grand jury or trial proceedings generally, § 17-7-190 et seq.

Procedure for testimony of out of state witnesses in guardianship or conservatorship proceeding, § 29-11-6.

For article on the 2011 enactment of this article, see 28 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 1 (2011).

Uniform Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses from Without a State in Criminal Proceedings (U. L. A.). Uniform Rendition of Prisoners as Witnesses in Criminal Proceedings Act (U. L. A.).

Availability under uniform act to secure the attendance of witnesses from without a state in criminal proceedings of subpoena duces tecum, 7 A. L. R.4th 836.

Sufficiency of evidence to support or require finding that out-of-state witness in criminal case is “material witness” justifying certificate to secure attendance under Uniform Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses from Without a State in Criminal Proceedings, 12 A. L. R.4th 742.

Sufficiency of evidence to support or require finding that in-state witness in criminal case is “material and necessary” justifying issuance of summons directing attendance of witness under Uniform Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses from Without a State in Criminal Proceedings, 12 A. L. R.4th 771.

O. C. G. A. Title 24

O. C. G. A. Title 24, Ch. 13