Witness statement
Disputes & Litigation

A witness statement is one of the three forms that a natural person may adduce evidence to a court during the course of legal proceedings. It is a statement of facts within the personal knowledge and belief of the person making the witness statement. The person must also specify the source of the information or belief laid out in the statement.

As a document with a prescribed form, a witness statement must specify the title of the proceedings, the person making the statement, their address and occupation (and if not employed, a description of the person), the party to the proceedings on whose behalf the statement was made, amongst other formal requirements.

A witness statement must be verified by a statement of truth. Proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against a person if they make, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.