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H.B. 72 Enrolled

                 

EXPERT DISCOVERY AMENDMENTS

                 
1999 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Gordon E. Snow

                  AN ACT RELATING TO THE UTAH CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE; AMENDING
                  EXPERT DISCOVERY PROVISIONS FOR EXPERT TESTIMONY AT A PRELIMINARY
                  HEARING.
                  This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
                  AMENDS:
                      77-17-13, as enacted by Chapter 139, Laws of Utah 1994
                  Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
                      Section 1. Section 77-17-13 is amended to read:
                       77-17-13. Expert testimony generally -- Notice requirements.
                      (1) (a) If the prosecution or the defense intends to call any expert to testify in a felony case
                  at trial or any hearing, excluding a preliminary hearing held pursuant to Rule 7 of the Utah Rules
                  of Criminal Procedure, the party intending to call the expert shall give notice to the opposing party
                  as soon as practicable but not less than 30 days before trial or ten days before the hearing.
                      (b) Notice shall include the name and address of the expert, the expert's curriculum vitae,
                  and a copy of the expert's report.
                      [(b)] (2) (a) The expert shall prepare a written report relating to the proposed testimony.
                      (b) If the expert has not prepared a report or the report does not adequately inform
                  concerning the substance of the expert's proposed testimony including any opinion and the bases
                  and reasons of that opinion, the party intending to call the expert shall provide to the opposing
                  party a written explanation of the expert's anticipated testimony sufficient to give the opposing
                  party adequate notice to prepare to meet the testimony, followed by a copy of any report prepared
                  by the expert when available.
                      [(2)] (3) (a) As soon as practicable after receipt of the expert's report, the party receiving
                  notice shall provide [notice] to the other party notice of witnesses whom the party anticipates
                  calling to rebut the expert's testimony, including the name and address of any expert witness and


                  the expert's curriculum vitae. If available, a report of any rebuttal expert shall be provided to the
                  other party.
                      (b) If the rebuttal expert has not prepared a report or the report does not adequately inform
                  concerning the substance of the expert's proposed testimony, or in the event the rebuttal witness is
                  not an expert, the party intending to call the rebuttal witness shall provide a written explanation of
                  the witness's anticipated rebuttal testimony sufficient to give the opposing party adequate notice to
                  prepare to meet the testimony, followed by a copy of any report prepared by any rebuttal expert when
                  available.
                      [(3)] (4) (a) If the defendant or the prosecution fails to meet the requirements of this section,
                  the opposing party shall be entitled to a continuance of the trial or hearing sufficient to allow
                  preparation to meet the testimony.
                      (b) If the court finds that the failure to comply with this section is the result of bad faith on
                  the part of any party or attorney, the court shall impose appropriate sanctions.
                      (5) (a) For purposes of this section, testimony of an expert at a preliminary hearing held
                  pursuant to Rule 7 of the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure constitutes notice of the expert, the
                  expert's qualifications, and a report of the expert's proposed trial testimony as to the subject matter
                  testified to by the expert at the preliminary hearing.
                      (b) Upon request, the party who called the expert at the preliminary hearing shall provide
                  the opposing party with a copy of the expert's curriculum vitae as soon as practicable prior to trial
                  or any hearing at which the expert may be called as an expert witness.

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