The Florida Senate

942.01  Definitions.

942.02  Summoning witness in this state to testify in another state.

942.03  Witness from another state summoned to testify in this state.

942.04  Exemption from arrest and service of process.

942.05  Uniformity of interpretation.

942.06  Short title.

942.01  Definitions.--

(1)  "Witness," as used in this chapter, includes a person whose testimony is desired in any proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or in a criminal action, prosecution, or proceeding held by the prosecution or the defense.

(2)  "State" includes any territory of the United States and District of Columbia.

(3)  "Summons" includes a subpoena, order, or other notice requiring the appearance of a witness.

History.--s. 1, ch. 20458, 1941.

942.02  Summoning witness in this state to testify in another state.--

(1)  If a judge of a court of record, in any state which by its laws has made provision for commanding persons within that state to attend and testify in this state, certifies under the seal of such court that there is a criminal prosecution pending in such court, or that a grand jury investigation has commenced or is about to commence, that a person being within this state is a material witness in such prosecution or grand jury investigation, and that that person's presence will be required for a specified number of days, upon presentation of such certificate to any judge of a court of record in the county in which such person is, such judge shall fix a time and place for a hearing and shall make an order directing the witness to appear at a time and place certain for the hearing. The witness shall at all times be entitled to counsel.

(2)  If at a hearing the judge determines that the witness is material and necessary, that it will not cause undue hardship to the witness to be compelled to attend and testify in the prosecution or a grand jury investigation in the other state, and that the laws of the state in which the prosecution is pending, or grand jury investigation has commenced or is about to commence, will give to the witness protection from arrest and the service of civil and criminal process, the judge shall issue a summons, with a copy of the certificate attached, directing the witness to attend and testify in the court where the prosecution is pending, or where a grand jury investigation has commenced or is about to commence at a time and place specified in the summons. In any such hearing the certificate shall be prima facie evidence of all the facts stated therein.

(3)  If said certificate recommends that the witness be taken into immediate custody and delivered to an officer of the requesting state to assure her or his attendance in the requesting state, such judge may, in lieu of notification of the hearing, direct that such witness be forthwith brought before her or him for said hearing; and the judge at the hearing being satisfied of the desirability of such custody and delivery, for which determination the certificate shall be prima facie proof of such desirability, may, in lieu of issuing subpoena or summons, order that said witness be forthwith taken in custody and delivered to an officer of the requesting state.

(4)  If the witness, who is summoned as above provided, after being paid or tendered by some properly authorized person the sum of 10 cents a mile for each mile by the ordinary traveled route to and from the court where the prosecution is pending and $5 for each day that the witness is required to travel and attend as a witness, fails without good cause to attend and testify as directed in the summons, the witness shall be punished in the manner provided for the punishment of any witness who disobeys a summons issued from a court of record in this state.

History.--s. 2, ch. 20458, 1941; s. 1, ch. 61-491; s. 1625, ch. 97-102.

942.03  Witness from another state summoned to testify in this state.--

(1)  If a person in any state, which by its laws has made provision for commanding persons within its borders to attend and testify in criminal prosecutions or grand jury investigations commenced or about to commence in this state, is a material witness in a prosecution pending in a court of record in this state, or in a grand jury investigation which has commenced or is about to commence, a judge of such court may issue a certificate under the seal of the court stating these facts and specifying the number of days the witness will be required. Said certificate may include a recommendation that the witness be taken into immediate custody and delivered to an officer of this state to assure his or her attendance in this state. This certificate shall be presented to a judge of a court of record in the county in which the witness is found.

(2)  If the witness is summoned to attend and testify in this state, the witness shall be tendered the sum of 10 cents a mile for each mile by the ordinary traveled route to and from the court where the prosecution is pending, and $5 for each day that he or she is required to travel and attend as a witness. A witness who has appeared in accordance with the provisions of the summons shall not be required to remain within this state a longer period of time than the period mentioned in the certificate, unless otherwise ordered by the court. If such witness, after coming into this state, fails without good cause to attend and testify as directed in the summons, the witness shall be punished in the manner provided for the punishment of any witness who disobeys a summons issued from a court of record in this state.

History.--s. 3, ch. 20458, 1941; s. 1626, ch. 97-102.

942.04  Exemption from arrest and service of process.--

(1)  If a person comes into this state in obedience to a summons directing him or her to attend and testify in this state, the person shall not while in this state pursuant to such summons be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with matters which arose before his or her entrance into this state under the summons.

(2)  If a person passes through this state while going to another state in obedience to a summons to attend and testify in that state, or while returning therefrom, the person shall not while so passing through this state be subject to arrest or the service of process, civil or criminal, in connection with matters which arose before his or her entrance into this state under the summons.

History.--s. 4, ch. 20458, 1941; s. 1627, ch. 97-102.

942.05  Uniformity of interpretation.--This chapter shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of the states which enact it, and shall be only applicable to such state as shall enact reciprocal powers to this state relative to the matter of securing attendance of witnesses as herein provided.

History.--s. 5, ch. 20458, 1941.

942.06  Short title.--This chapter may be cited as the "Uniform Law to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses from Within or Without a State in Criminal Proceedings."

History.--s. 6, ch. 20458, 1941.