Witnesses

Witness statements are very important in a court of law. Witness statements are vital in order to clarify matters and make a fundamental contribution to establishing the truth. A witness is someone who gives testimony about a particular happening to a court. In their statements, witnesses depict their own perceptions of events and constitute an important source of evidence in a legal dispute or as part of a trial. They must appear before court if they are invited to do so and must tell the truth.

In principle, witnesses can be anybody who has seen something that could be of importance in criminal proceedings. The reasons for which the person observed the events in question are irrelevant. It can even be sufficient for a witness to outline the depictions of other people. 

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You can read about how witness interviews proceed and which rights and obligations witnesses have when giving a statement on the website of the Ministry of Justice for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. 
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Costs incurred as a result of a court appointment, for example, loss of earnings, travel costs or other expenses, will be reimbursed. You can find more information on the reimbursement of witnesses’ and expert witnesses’ fees under further information.