92.151 Witness compensation; payment; overcharges.—Compensation shall be paid to the witness by the party in whose behalf the witness is summoned, and the prevailing party may tax the same as costs against the prevailing party’s adversary; but no person shall be compelled to attend court as a witness in any civil cause unless the party in whose behalf the person is summoned shall first pay the person the amount of compensation to which he or she would be entitled for mileage and per diem for 1 day, or the same is deposited with the executive officer of said court, and the person shall not be compelled to attend thereafter unless paid in advance. But if any witness should serve without payment in advance, at the completion of his or her services the witness may exhibit his or her account for compensation, and when the same shall have been taxed and approved by the court wherein the services have been rendered, such bill shall have the force and effect of judgment and execution against the party in whose behalf the witness was summoned, and be collected by the sheriff as in other cases of execution. Any witness who shall charge and receive more than is really due shall forfeit and pay to the party injured 4 times the amount so unjustly claimed; and if the witness shall willfully make out the account for more than is lawfully due, the witness shall forfeit the compensation.
History.—s. 41, Nov. 11, 1828; RS 1104; s. 4, ch. 4387, 1895; GS 1513; RGS 2713; CGL 4380; s. 3, ch. 76-237; s. 1, ch. 77-77; s. 22, ch. 78-361; s. 1, ch. 78-379; s. 507, ch. 95-147.
