Defence witness notices

On 1 May 2010, section 6C of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 (CPIA 1996), as amended by section 34 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, was brought into force.

It requires the accused in a criminal case to give the prosecutor and the court a notice indicating whether they intend to call any witnesses at trial and giving details of those witnesses.

This practice note sets out the obligations and the ethical considerations you should consider when conducting a case involving defence witnesses.

This practice note is the Law Society's view of good practice in this area, and is not legal advice. For more information, see the legal status.