Caldwell v. Cablevision Systems Corp.

OPINION OF THE COURT

Skelos, J.P.

A party who calls a witness to testify to facts within his or her knowledge is required by statute to pay that witness, inter alia, $15 for every day of his or her attendance at trial (see CPLR 8001). The question presented on this appeal is whether payment voluntarily made to a fact witness, far in excess of that mandatory witness fee, rendered the witness’s testimony inadmissible or, alternatively, warranted a specific jury instruction pertaining to potential bias. We hold that, while the substantial payment made by the defendant Communications Specialists,…