Current through 2024 Regular Session legislation effective June 6, 2024
Section 44.240 - Production of witness confined in Department of Corrections institution(1) Whenever a court or judge makes an order for the temporary removal and production of a witness who is confined in a Department of Corrections institution within this state before a court or officer for the purpose of being orally examined this section applies. The superintendent of the institution shall, at the institution, deliver the witness to the sheriff of the county in which the court or judge making the order is located.(2) The sheriff shall give the superintendent a signed receipt when taking custody of the witness under subsection (1) of this section. The sheriff shall be responsible for the custody of the witness until the sheriff returns the witness to the institution. Upon the return of the witness to the institution by the sheriff, the superintendent shall give a signed receipt therefor to the sheriff.(3) When a witness is delivered to a sheriff under subsection (1) of this section, or at any time while the witness is in the custody of the sheriff as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the superintendent may give the sheriff a list of persons who may communicate with the witness or with whom the witness may communicate. Except as otherwise required by law, upon receipt of the list and while the witness is in the custody of the sheriff, the sheriff shall permit communication only between the witness and those persons designated by the list.(4) The sheriff and neither the institution nor the Department of Corrections shall be liable for any expense incurred in connection with the witness while the witness is in the custody of the sheriff as provided in subsection (2) of this section. If the witness is a party plaintiff, the sheriff shall recover costs of the care of the witness from the plaintiff, and shall have a lien upon any judgment for the plaintiff. In all other cases, the sheriff and not the witness shall be entitled to the witness fees and mileage to which the witness would otherwise be entitled under ORS 44.415(2), or other applicable law. 1955 c.523 §1; 1969 c.502 §2; 1973 c.836 §327; 1987 c.320 §13; 1987 c.606 §6; 1989 c.980 §3a