Superior Court Rules Table of Contents
93-A. In any criminal case alleging a sex-related offense in
which a minor child was a victim, the Court shall allow the use of anatomically
correct drawings and/or anatomically correct dolls as demonstrative evidence to
assist the alleged victim or minor witness in testifying, unless otherwise
ordered by the Court for good cause shown.
In the event that the alleged victim or minor witness is
nervous, afraid, timid, or otherwise reluctant to testify, the Court may allow
the use of leading questions during the initial testimony but shall not allow
the use of such questions relating to any essential element of the criminal
offense.
The Clerk shall schedule a pretrial conference, to be held
within forty-five (45) days of the filing of an indictment, for the purpose of
establishing a discovery schedule and trial date. At such conference, the Court
shall consider the advisability and need for the appointment of a guardian ad
litem to represent the interests of the alleged victim.
In the event that a guardian ad litem is appointed to
represent the interests of a minor victim or witness, the role and scope of
services of the guardian ad litem shall be explicitly outlined by the trial
judge prior to trial.
The guardian ad litem appointed under this rule shall be
compensated at the same hourly rate, and shall be subject to the same case
maximums, as set forth for defense counsel in misdemeanor cases under the
provisions of Supreme Court Rule 47. The guardian ad litem shall also be
reimbursed for his or her investigative and related expenses, as allowed under
Rule 47, upon a finding of necessity and reasonableness by a justice of the
appropriate court, made prior to the said expenses being incurred.