Subcommittee reinstates cap on expert-witness payments for competency evaluations, allows judge waiver A Senate Resources subcommittee agreed to a committee substitute for a House bill that reinstates a cap on expert witness payments for mental-health competency evaluations under Va. Code §19.2‑175, with judges allowed to waive the cap up to $5,000; members debated potential impacts on indigent defendants, victims and prosecutors' budgets.

The Senate has voted to reinstate a cap on expert witness payments for mental-health evaluations, igniting a heated debate over its impact on indigent defendants and prosecutors' budgets.

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