Colorado § 16-9-302 - Summoning witness to testify or produce tangible evidence in another county.

§ 16-9-302. Summoning witness to testify or produce tangible evidence in another county.

(1) In order to secure the attendance of a material witness who either the prosecution or the defense has reasonable grounds to believe will absent himself from the jurisdiction of the requesting court, a judge of a court of record in any county in this state upon such showing may certify that there is a criminal action pending in such court or that a grand jury investigation has commenced or is about to commence, that a person located within any county or city and county in this state is a material witness in such action or grand jury investigation, and that his presence will be required for a specified number of days. When a court of record in the county in which such person is located receives the certificate, it shall fix a time and place for a hearing and shall make an order directing the witness to appear at the hearing at the time and place specified in the order.

(2) If at the hearing held pursuant to subsection (1) of this section the court determines that the witness is material and necessary and that it will not cause undue hardship to the witness to be compelled to attend and testify in the criminal action or grand jury investigation in the requesting county, the court shall issue a summons, with a copy of the certificate attached, directing the witness to attend and testify in the requesting court at the 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 the certificate recommends that the witness be taken into immediate custody and delivered to an officer of the requesting county to assure his attendance in the requesting county, the receiving court may, in lieu of notification of the hearing, direct that the witness be brought before the court for the hearing. If the court is satisfied at the hearing that the requested custody and delivery is desirable, the court shall order that the witness be taken into custody and delivered to an officer of the requesting county for said hearing, if said hearing is to commence within forty-eight hours of the issuance of the certificate, or for the purpose of the taking of a criminal deposition pursuant to rule 15, Colorado rules of criminal procedure. The certificate shall be prima facie evidence that the requested custody and delivery is desirable. If said witness can post reasonable security, he shall be discharged.

(4) If the witness who is summoned pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, after being paid or tendered the appropriate witness fees, fails without good cause to attend and testify or produce evidence as directed in the summons, he shall be subject to any sanctions available to the requesting court.

Source: L. 85: Entire part added, p. 626, § 1, effective April 24.

Cross references: For witness fees, see § 13-33-102.