Court Opinion

ID: 9611986
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 04:02:26.190884+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:03:18.544081
License: Public Domain

Justice Lake
concurring.
I concur with the majority’s holding that it is the declarant’s motivation to receive medical treatment or diagnosis which supports the “inherent reliability” characteristic of the firmly rooted hearsay exception of Rule 803(4). Recognizing the significant interest of society in protecting our children from any type of abuse and the inherent difficulty in determining whether a child’s statement was made for the purpose of medical diagnosis or treatment, I am compelled to emphasize that although the testimony as presented in the instant case is not admissible under Rule 803(4), such evidence, if properly obtained, might be admissible under the residual hearsay exceptions, Rule 803(24) (availability of declarant immaterial) and Rule 804(b)(5) (declarant unavailable), as suggested by the majority.
I am further compelled to emphasize the importance of the forethought and proper interview techniques required on the part of child advocates (medical, legal or otherwise) in obtaining statements from children to ensure, to the fullest extent possible, their trustworthiness and the need for trial courts to adequately present findings of fact and conclusions of law supporting that trustworthiness. The standard for admissibility is increased under the residual exceptions to the hearsay rule, as discussed by this Court in State v. Triplett, 316 N.C. 1, 340 S.E.2d 736 (1986), and State v. Smith, 315 N.C. 76, 337 S.E.2d 833 (1985). Therefore, planning is necessary to ensure that the admissibility requirements of notice, materiality, trustworthiness, probative value and the interests of justice are met and properly presented.