§ 7A-314.  Uniform fees for witnesses; experts; limit on number.

(a) Except for a witness that is a former State, county, or municipal law-enforcement officer, a witness under subpoena, bound over, or recognized, other than a salaried State, county, or municipal law-enforcement officer, or an out-of-state witness in a criminal case, whether to testify before the court, Judicial Standards Commission, jury of view, magistrate, clerk, referee, commissioner, appraiser, or arbitrator shall be entitled to receive five dollars ($5.00) per day, or fraction thereof, during his attendance, which, except as to witnesses before the Judicial Standards Commission, must be certified to the clerk of superior court. Compensation of witnesses acting on behalf of the court or prosecutorial offices shall be paid in accordance with the rules established by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Compensation of witnesses provided under G.S. 7A-454 shall be in accordance with rules established by the Office of Indigent Defense Services.

(a1) A witness that is a former State, county, or municipal law-enforcement officer that is under subpoena, bound over, or recognized, whether to testify before the court, Judicial Standards Commission, jury of view, magistrate, clerk, referee, commissioner, appraiser, or arbitrator, shall be entitled to receive twenty dollars ($20.00) per hour, or fraction thereof, during the former law-enforcement officer's attendance, which, except as to witnesses before the Judicial Standards Commission, must be certified to the clerk of superior court. Compensation of witnesses acting on behalf of the court or prosecutorial offices shall be paid in accordance with the rules established by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Compensation of witnesses provided under G.S. 7A-454 shall be in accordance with rules established by the Office of Indigent Defense Services.

(b) A witness entitled to a fee set forth in subsections (a) or (a1) of this section, and a law-enforcement officer who qualifies as a witness, shall be entitled to receive an allowance or reimbursement for travel expenses as follows:

(1) A witness whose residence is outside the county of appearance but within 75 miles of the place of appearance shall be entitled to receive mileage reimbursement at the rate currently authorized for State employees, for each mile necessarily traveled from his place of resident to the place of appearance and return, each day. Reimbursements to witnesses acting on behalf of the court or prosecutorial offices shall be paid in accordance with the rules established by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Reimbursements to witnesses provided under G.S. 7A-454 shall be in accordance with rules established by the Office of Indigent Defense Services.

(2) A witness whose residence is outside the county of appearance and more than 75 miles from the place of appearance shall be entitled to receive mileage reimbursement at the rate currently authorized State employees for one round-trip from his place of residence to the place of appearance. A witness required to appear more than one day shall be entitled to receive an allowance or reimbursement for expenses incurred for lodging and meals not to exceed the maximum currently authorized for State employees, in lieu of daily mileage. Allowances or reimbursements to witnesses acting on behalf of the court or prosecutorial offices shall be paid in accordance with the rules established by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Reimbursements and travel allowances to witnesses provided under G.S. 7A-454 shall be in accordance with rules established by the Office of Indigent Defense Services.

(c) A witness who resides in a state other than North Carolina and who appears for the purpose of testifying in a criminal action and proves his attendance may be compensated at the rate allowed to State officers and employees by subdivisions (1) and (2) of G.S. 138-6(a) for one round-trip from the witness's place of residence to the place of appearance, and five dollars ($5.00) for each day that the witness is required to travel and attend as a witness, upon order of the court based upon a finding that the person was a necessary witness. If such a witness is required to appear more than one day, the witness is also entitled to an allowance or reimbursement for expenses incurred for lodging and meals, not to exceed the maximum currently authorized for State employees. Reimbursements and travel allowances to witnesses acting on behalf of the court or prosecutorial offices shall be paid in accordance with the rules established by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Reimbursements to witnesses provided under G.S. 7A-454 shall be in accordance with rules established by the Office of Indigent Defense Services.

(d) Subject to the specific limitations set forth in G.S. 7A-305(d)(11), an expert witness, other than a salaried State, county, or municipal law-enforcement officer, shall receive such compensation and allowances as the court, or the Judicial Standards Commission, in its discretion, may authorize. A law-enforcement officer who appears as an expert witness shall receive reimbursement for travel expenses only, as provided in subsection (b) of this section. Compensation of experts acting on behalf of the court or prosecutorial offices shall be paid in accordance with the rules established by the Administrative Office of the Courts. Compensation of experts provided under G.S. 7A-454 shall be in accordance with rules established by the Office of Indigent Defense Services.

(e) If more than two witnesses are subpoenaed, bound over, or recognized, to prove a single material fact, the expense of the additional witnesses shall be borne by the party issuing or requesting the subpoena.

(f) Repealed by Session Laws 2012-142, s. 16.3(a), effective July 1, 2012. (1965, c. 310, s. 1; 1969, c. 1190, s. 34; 1971, c. 377, s. 27; 1973, c. 503, ss. 21, 22; 1983, c. 713, s. 20; 1998-212, s. 16.25(a); 2000-144, s. 3; 2006-187, s. 5(a); 2007-323, s. 14.23; 2010-31, s. 15.7; 2011-391, s. 64; 2012-142, s. 16.3(a); 2015-153, s. 2; 2022-74, s. 16.7(a); 2023-134, s. 16.32(a).)