Criminal Procedure - Child Victims - Testimony in Child Abuse Cases

SB 274 modifies Maryland court procedures for child abuse cases by allowing a child victim to testify remotely via closed-circuit television outside the courtroom if a judge determines their presence with the defendant would cause serious emotional distress. It specifies that only certain attorneys (prosecution, defense, child's advocate), court staff, and therapeutic support personnel may be present with the child during remote testimony, while the defendant and judge remain in the courtroom. The bill explicitly prohibits two-way video that would let the child see or hear the defendant during testimony. This directly affects child victims, defendants, and their legal representatives in abuse cases covered under Maryland’s Family Law and Criminal Law Articles.