Esta ley enmienda la Regla 54 de las Reglas de Evidencia de Puerto Rico de 1979 para corregir una referencia incorrecta a un subapartado inexistente y reenumerar los subapartados existentes para asegurar la coherencia del código legal.
(No. 257) (Approved October 28, 2002)
To amend Rule 54 of the Puerto Rico Rules of Evidence of 1979, as amended, in order to eliminate the reference made to subsection
(b) and renumber subsections (1), (2) and (3) as
(a) ,
(b) and
(c) .
The Puerto Rico Rules of Evidence are based mostly upon those contained in the California Code of Evidence. In this sense, many of these rules that we adopt in our jurisdiction are translated or copied from the English language.
Rule 54 of the Puerto Rico Rules of Evidence is no exception. When adopting Rule 54, which deals with witnesses testifying as experts, same was literally taken from the federal Rules of Evidence in English. The federal Rule has two subsections, while the local Rule does not have a subsection (B). Nevertheless, the Legislature did not amend said Rule 54 and adopted the same language, which makes reference to a subsection (B) that does not exist in our rules.
The Legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico understands that it is of utmost importance for our country to have a coherent code of law without mistakes. To that effect, this Legislature amends said Rule 54 of the Rules of Evidence to suit our present juridical reality.
Section 1.- Rule 54 of the Puerto Rico Rules of Evidence of 1979, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Rule 54.- Any witness testifying as an expert may be cross-examined to the same extent and scope as any other witness, and may also be fully cross-examined as to:
(a) his or her qualifications as an expert;
(b) the subject to which his or her expert testimony relates, and
(c) the facts, data and circumstances upon which his or her testimony is based."
Section 2.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 257 (H.B. 1603) of the $4^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to amend Rule 54 of the Puerto Rico Rules of Evidence of 1979, as amended, in order to eliminate the reference made to subsection
(b) and renumber subsections (1), (2) and (3) as
(a) ,
(b) and
(c) , has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $6^{ ext {th }}$ of August of 2004.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director