Art. 603 Oath or affirmation

Before anyone can testify in court, they have to promise to tell the truth. This promise is made through an oath or an affirmation, and it happens before the person says anything else on the stand.

The point of this promise is to remind the witness how important it is to be honest. The words used don't have to follow an exact script, but they need to be serious enough to make the witness understand they have a real duty to tell the truth.

This applies to every witness, no matter who they are or what the case is about. If someone refuses to make this promise in some form, they generally cannot testify.