Child Testimony: Admissibility, Reliability and Procedures

This memorandum discusses the strategies courts employ around the world to treat child victims and witnesses and their evidence when giving testimony. International and regional human rights standards have highlighted good practices in the treatment of vulnerable young child witnesses, centering on the foundational principle of the best interests of the child. In turn, domestic courts and legislatures worldwide have created and employed a broad range of judicial approaches to the admissibility of child witness testimony; the reliability of child witness evidence, and the procedures that should be employed to facilitate child witness testimony.

Topics

• Domestic and intimate partner violence
• Gender-based violence in general
• Sexual violence and rape

Geographical location

• North America
• United States

Keywords

• testimony
• child
• women
• rape
• sexual violence
• court practice
• court procedure
• model law
• intimidation
• technology
• harassment
• witness protection
• comparative law
• gender
• justice
• gender justice
• avon
• judges

Year

• 2014

External URL

• Child Testimony: Admissibility, Reliability and Procedures

Type

• Memoranda