(a) An elderly or vulnerable adult victim’s inability to attend judicial proceedings due to illness, or other mental or physical disability, shall be considered exceptional circumstances upon the state‘s motion to preserve testimony pursuant to Rule 15 of the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure. The state may request the motion in any court, juvenile, general sessions, criminal, or circuit, having jurisdiction over the accused and may initiate the motion at any stage of the proceedings after the accused’s initial appearance.(b) The court shall consider an affidavit executed by the elderly or vulnerable adult’s treating physician stating that the elderly or vulnerable adult is unable to attend court due to illness or other mental or physical disability as prima facie evidence of the need to preserve witness testimony by the taking of the adult’s out-of-court deposition.(c) The court shall order the defendant‘s attendance to the out-of-court deposition. The defendant may waive the defendant’s attendance in writing.
