A. At any stage of a proceeding under the Abuse and Neglect Act, the children's court attorney may apply for use immunity for a respondent for in-court testimony. The in-court testimony of an immunized respondent shall not be used against that respondent in a criminal prosecution; provided, however, that the respondent may be prosecuted for perjury that occurs during the respondent's testimony in children's court.
B. At any stage of a proceeding under the Abuse and Neglect Act, the children's court attorney may apply for use immunity for any records, documents or other physical objects produced by the immunized respondent in that children's court proceeding, production of which was compelled by a court order.
C. At any stage of a proceeding under the Abuse and Neglect Act, the children's court attorney may apply for use immunity for a respondent for any statement that a respondent makes in the course of a court-ordered psychological evaluation or treatment program to the professional designated by the department in furtherance of the court's order. Such immunity shall attach only to those statements made during the course of the actual evaluation or treatment and specifically does not attach to statements made to other department employees, agents or other representatives in the course of the investigation of alleged child abuse or neglect.
D. Any other information available to the professional designated by the department to perform the court-ordered evaluation or treatment shall not be the subject of any application or order for immunity.
E. All immunized statements referred to in Subsection C that are subsequently reduced to writing shall be deleted before any report is released to law enforcement officers or district attorneys.
F. Use immunity orders shall not be entered nunc pro tunc.
G. The children's court attorney shall request a hearing on any application for immunity and shall give at least forty-eight hours notice to all parties and to the district attorney for the county in which the alleged abuse or neglect occurred. The district attorney shall have standing to object to the order for immunity.
History: 1978 Comp., § 32A-4-11, enacted by Laws 1993, ch. 77, § 105.
Structure 2021 New Mexico Statutes
Article 4 - Child Abuse and Neglect
Section 32A-4-1 - Short title.
Section 32A-4-2 - Definitions.
Section 32A-4-4 - Complaints; referral; preliminary inquiry.
Section 32A-4-4.1 - Multilevel response system.
Section 32A-4-6 - Taking into custody; penalty.
Section 32A-4-7 - Release or delivery from custody.
Section 32A-4-8 - Place of temporary custody.
Section 32A-4-9 - Indian child placement; preferences.
Section 32A-4-10 - Basic rights.
Section 32A-4-11 - Use immunity.
Section 32A-4-12 - Protective orders.
Section 32A-4-13 - Contempt power.
Section 32A-4-14 - Change in placement.
Section 32A-4-15 - Petition; authorization to file.
Section 32A-4-16 - Ex-parte custody orders.
Section 32A-4-17 - Summons; content.
Section 32A-4-17.1 - Notice to grandparents and relatives.
Section 32A-4-18 - Custody hearings; time limitations; notice; probable cause.
Section 32A-4-19 - Adjudicatory hearings; time limitations.
Section 32A-4-20 - Conduct of hearings; findings; dismissal; dispositional matters; penalty.
Section 32A-4-21 - Neglect or abuse predisposition studies, reports and examinations.
Section 32A-4-22 - Disposition of adjudicated abused or neglected child.
Section 32A-4-25 - Periodic judicial review of dispositional judgments.
Section 32A-4-25.1 - Permanency hearings; permanency review hearings.
Section 32A-4-25.2 - Transition services.
Section 32A-4-25.3 - Discharge hearing.
Section 32A-4-26 - Parental responsibility.
Section 32A-4-27 - Intervention; persons permitted to intervene.
Section 32A-4-28 - Termination of parental rights; adoption decree.
Section 32A-4-29 - Termination procedure.
Section 32A-4-30 - Attorney fees.
Section 32A-4-31 - Permanent guardianship of a child.
Section 32A-4-32 - Permanent guardianship; procedure.
Section 32A-4-33 - Confidentiality; records; penalty.
Section 32A-4-33.1 - Records release when a child dies.
Section 32A-4-34 - Duties of employees.
Section 32A-4-35 - Appointment or change of educational decision maker.