60-243. Testimony of witnesses; evidence. (a) Form and admissibility. At trial, the witness' testimony must be taken in open court, unless otherwise provided by law. For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.

(b) Scope of examination and cross-examination. A party may examine any unwilling or hostile witness by leading questions. A party may call an adverse party or an officer, director or managing agent of a public or private corporation, a partnership or an association that is an adverse party, may examine the witness by leading questions and may contradict and impeach the witness as if the witness had been called by the adverse party. The witness may be contradicted and impeached by the adverse party, but may be cross-examined only on the subject matter of the witness' direct examination.

(c) Record of excluded evidence. In a jury trial, if an objection to a question to a witness is sustained, the examining attorney may make a specific offer of what the examining attorney expects to prove by the witness' answer. The offer must be made out of the jury's hearing. The court may add any further statement that clearly shows the character of the evidence, the form in which it was offered, the objection made and the ruling on the objection. In nonjury trials the same procedure may be followed, except that the court on request must take and report the evidence in full unless it clearly appears that the evidence is not admissible or is privileged.

(d) Evidence on a motion. When a motion relies on facts outside the record, the court may hear the matter on affidavits or on declarations pursuant to K.S.A. 53-601, and amendments thereto, or may hear it wholly or partly on oral testimony or on depositions.

(e) Interpreter. In accordance with K.S.A. 75-4351 through 75-4355d, and amendments thereto, the court may appoint an interpreter of its choosing; fix reasonable compensation to be paid from funds provided by law or, subject to the limitations in K.S.A. 75-4352 and 75-4355b, and amendments thereto, by one or more parties and tax the compensation as costs.

History: L. 1963, ch. 303, 60-243; amended by Supreme Court order dated July 17, 1969; L. 1997, ch. 173, § 23; L. 2010, ch. 135, § 112; July 1.