Material witness order; compelling attendance of witness who fails to appear · as in force on May 31, 2026
§ 620.70 Material witness order; compelling attendance of witness who
fails to appear.
If a witness at liberty on bail pursuant to a material witness order cannot be found or notified at the time his appearance as a witness is required, or if after notification he fails to appear in such action or proceeding as required, the court may issue a warrant, addressed to a police officer, directing such officer to take such witness into custody anywhere within the state and to bring him to the court forthwith.
If a material witness on bail cannot be found or notified when required to appear, or is notified but fails to appear, the court may issue a statewide warrant directing police to take the witness into custody and bring the witness before the court immediately. ★
Marked in the text: penalties, time limits, sums of money. Editorial emphasis added by this edition; it does not appear in the statute as enacted.
This provision appears in Volume 1 — The Court Officer in Plain English; Volume 2 — The Court Officer: Criminal Procedure Law; Volume 2 — Your Career: Criminal Procedure in Plain English.