§ 1203 Hearsay Declarant Cross-Examination

• •If someone says something outside of court (hearsay) and it’s used as evidence, the other side can question that person like they’re on the witness stand.
• •This rule doesn’t apply if the person who said it is part of the case (like a plaintiff or defendant), works for them, or has already talked about it in court.
• •This rule also doesn’t apply to certain special types of hearsay, like business records or excited utterances.
• •Even if the person who said it can’t be questioned (like if they’re dead or missing), their statement can still be used as evidence if it’s allowed by other rules.

Imagine your friend tells the police, 'I saw Sam steal the bike.' If the police write it down and try to use it in court, Sam’s lawyer can call your friend to ask them questions about what they saw.

This law lets the other side check if what your friend said is true by asking them directly. But if your friend is part of the case (like if they’re suing Sam), or if what they said is something special (like a 911 call), this rule doesn’t apply.