{"data":{"id":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-57-3-6","jurisdiction":"us-wv","citation":"W. Va. Code § 57-3-6","heading":"Competency of accused as witness.","body":"In any trial or examination in or before any court or officer for a felony or misdemeanor, the accused shall, with his consent (but not otherwise) be a competent witness on such trial or examination; and if he so voluntarily becomes a witness he shall, as to all matters relevant to the issue, be deemed to have waived his privilege of not giving evidence against himself and shall be subject to cross-examination as any other witness; but his failure to testify shall create no presumption against him nor be the subject of any comment before the court or jury by anyone.","path":["CHAPTER 57. EVIDENCE AND WITNESSES.","ARTICLE 3. COMPETENCY OF WITNESSES."],"source_url":"https://code.wvlegislature.gov/57-3-6/","current_through":"as of 2026-08-03; contains at least the enactments of the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T00:31:07Z","sha256":"772c9af4cbf8f797cff6b8aacb8504be2bf747942a9e9727bdbdd4dfc8096fe1","source_id":"us-wv","stale":true,"prev":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-57-3-5","next":"us-wv/w.-va.-code-57-3-7"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}