2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
Chapter 59 - Depositions and Witnesses
5901 - Judicial oath.

                                CHAPTER 59
                        DEPOSITIONS AND WITNESSES

     Subchapter
        A.  Witnesses Generally
        B.  Securing Attendance of Witnesses in Criminal Proceedings
        C.  Rendition of Prisoners as Witnesses in Criminal
            Proceedings
        D.  Child Victims and Witnesses

        Enactment.  Chapter 59 was added July 9, 1976, P.L.586,
     No.142, effective 60 days from the date of final enactment of
     the act of April 28, 1978 (P.L.202, No.53).

                               SUBCHAPTER A
                           WITNESSES GENERALLY

     Sec.
     5901.  Judicial oath.
     5902.  Effect of religious beliefs.
     5903.  Compensation and expenses of witnesses.
     5904.  Subpoena of witnesses.
     5905.  Subpoenas.

                           CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

     5911.  Competency of witnesses generally.
     5912.  Effect of prior convictions.
     5913.  Spouses as witnesses against each other.
     5914.  Confidential communications between spouses.
     5915.  Testimony by spouse in rebuttal.
     5916.  Confidential communications to attorney.
     5917.  Notes of evidence at former trial.
     5918.  Examination of defendant as to other offenses.
     5919.  Depositions in criminal matters.

                              CIVIL MATTERS

     5921.  Interest not to disqualify.
     5922.  Disqualification by perjury.
     5923.  Confidential communications between spouses.
     5924.  Spouses as witnesses against each other.
     5925.  Testimony by married person against spouse in rebuttal.
     5926.  Testimony by spouse after attack on character or conduct.
     5927.  Actions by spouse to recover separate property.
     5928.  Confidential communications to attorney.
     5929.  Physicians not to disclose information.
     5930.  Surviving party as witness, in case of death, mental
            incapacity, etc.
     5931.  Incompetent witnesses.
     5932.  Witness competent to testify against interest; to become
            competent upon release of interest.
     5933.  Competency of surviving party.
     5934.  Notes of evidence at former trial.
     5935.  Examination of person adversely interested.
     5936.  Medical testimony by deposition.

                    CERTAIN PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES

     5941.  Persons who may be compelled to testify.
     5942.  Confidential communications to news reporters.
     5943.  Confidential communications to clergymen.
     5944.  Confidential communications to psychiatrists or licensed
            psychologists.
     5945.  Confidential communications to school personnel.
     5945.1. Confidential communications with sexual assault
            counselors.
     5945.2. Confidential communications to crime stopper or
            similar anticrime program.
     5946.  Competency of certain witnesses where political
            subdivision is a party.
     5947.  Immunity of witnesses.
     5948.  Confidential communications to qualified professionals.
     5949.  Confidential mediation communications and documents.
     5950.  Confidential communications involving law enforcement
                officers.
     5951.  Confidential communications involving public safety
                responders and corrections officers.
     5952.  Confidential communications to peer support members.
     § 5901.  Judicial oath.
        (a)  General rule.--Every witness, before giving any
     testimony shall take an oath in the usual or common form, by
     laying the hand upon an open copy of the Holy Bible, or by
     lifting up the right hand and pronouncing or assenting to the
     following words: "I, A. B., do swear by Almighty God, the
     searcher of all hearts, that I will       , and that as I shall
     answer to God at the last great day." Which oath so taken by
     persons who conscientiously refuse to take an oath in the common
     form shall be deemed and taken in law to have the same effect as
     an oath taken in common form.
        (b)  Right to affirm.--The affirmation may be administered in
     any judicial proceeding instead of the oath, and shall have the
     same effect and consequences, and any witness who desires to
     affirm shall be permitted to do so.