A witness who is not a party to a suit or proceeding, and who has no interest in the result, is not entitled to the services of counsel, but courts have frequently indulged witnesses in this respect.

During the necessary time spent in attendance at the trial of a case, and time necessarily spent in going and returning from the place of holding trial, a witness is privileged from arrest.

In civil cases, a witness may demand payment of the legal witness fees in advance; i. e., he may demand mileage and one day's attendance fee, and may refuse to attend court unless the same is then paid. In criminal cases, when served in due form by subpoena, he must attend or subject himself to punishment for contempt of court for such refusal.