Hibbs v. State

In Hibbs v. State, 299 Ga. App. 723, 724-725 (2) (683 SE2d 329) (2009) the Court held that the confrontation clause of the Sixth Amendment grants criminal defendants the right to impeach the prosecution's witnesses by cross-examining them with regard to whether they are currently on probation for a juvenile offense or have an open or pending case in juvenile court, or whether they are currently committed to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The right of a defendant to cross-examine a state witness to show that the witness slanted his testimony in favor of the state in order to obtain more favorable treatment overcomes the state's interest in maintaining the confidentiality of juvenile court proceedings. This right to cross-examination is "(s)ubject always to the broad discretion of a trial judge to preclude repetitive and unduly harassing interrogation."