Opinion ID: 1511651
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Sean's Competency as a Witness

Text: Evid. R. 7 states in part that: Except as otherwise provided ... (a) every person is qualified to be a witness, and ... (c) no person is disqualified to testify to any matter    . One exception to this general rule is provided in Evid. R. 17: A person is disqualified to be a witness if the judge finds that (a) the proposed witness is incapable of expressing himself concerning the matter so as to be understood by the judge and jury either directly or through interpretation by one who can understand him, or (b) the proposed witness is incapable of understanding the duty of a witness to tell the truth   . Neither this nor any other rule provides that age per se can render a proposed witness incompetent. See, e.g., State v. Grossmick, supra ; State v. Gambutti, supra ; Hare v. Pennell, 37 N.J. Super. 558 (App. Div. 1955). Instead, disqualification is warranted only if the requirements of Evid. R. 17 are not satisfied. Where the competency of a witness is called into question, the judge must conduct a preliminary inquiry into the witness' qualifications. Evid. R. 8; see, e.g., State v. Grossmick, supra ; State v. Falcetano, 107 N.J. Super. 383, 387 (Law Div. 1969). The competency determination is primarily entrusted to the trial judge's sound discretion and his decision will not be disturbed on appeal unless it plainly lacks support in the record below. See, e.g., State v. Gambutti, supra, 36 N.J. Super. at 223; Hare, supra, 37 N.J. Super. at 565; Carlotz v. Gavin, 133 N.J.L. 61, 61-62 (E. & A. 1945). However, in determining the propriety of the trial judge's determination, an appellate court need not limit its view to the responses given by the witness during the voir dire examination; instead, it can consider the entire record  including the testimony in fact given by the witness under oath  in order to arrive at its decision. See, e.g., Fields v. State, supra, 500 S.W. 2d at 503; People v. Lamb, 121 Cal. App. 2d 838, 264 P. 2d 126, 130 (Dist. Ct. App. 1953); Note, supra, 10 Wyo. L.J. at 218.