can the prosecuting attorney force me to testify as a witness in a criminal case?
A witness can, at any time, refuse to answer a question by claiming protection under the Fifth Amendment. The person testifying is the defendant in a criminal case: This is an extension of the protection under the Fifth Amendment. Criminal defendants can never be forced to testify. The witness is married to someone involved in the case: Communication between two spouses is considered privileged by courts. This means that in most cases, you can't be forced to testify against your spouse in court.