Are There Any Special Rules for Children Who Testify?
Yes. NRS 174.571 provides that when the victim or witness is younger than 16, the prosecutor shall request that the court, in its discretion, consider the effect a delay in the beginning of a trial would have on the child in setting the trial date. NRS 178.571 provides that if the victim or witness is a minor, or if the crime involves sexual assault, then an attendant may be present during the preliminary hearing and trial. The attendant may sit next to the minor, or may stand in a strategic location, to provide support for the child. The attendant is not allowed to participate on the child’s behalf, only to provide emotional support to aid the child in testifying fully.
