Evidence By Commission Act, 1843

Provisions for compelling the attendance of witnesses and production of documents before commissions to take evidence issued by courts in one part of the United Kingdom to be executed in another part.

5. And whereas there are at present no means of compelling the attendance of persons to be examined under any commission for the examination of witnesses issued by the courts of law or equity in England or Ireland, or by the courts of law in Scotland, to be executed in a part of the realm subject to different laws from that in which such commissions are issued, and great inconvenience may arise by reason thereof: Be it therefore enacted, that if any person, after being served with a written notice to attend any commissioner or commissioners appointed to execute any such commission for the examination of witnesses as aforesaid, (such notice being signed by the commissioner or commissioners, and specifying the time and place of attendance,) shall refuse or fail to appear and be examined under such commission, such refusal or failure to appear shall be certified by such commissioner or commissioners, and it shall thereupon be competent, to or on behalf of any party suing out such commission, to apply to any of the superior courts of law in that part of the kingdom within which such commission is to be executed, or any one of the judges of such courts, for a rule or order to compel the person or persons so refusing or failing as aforesaid to appear before such commissioner or commissioners, and to be examined under such commission, and it shall be lawful for the court or judge to whom such application shall be made by rule or order to command the attendance and examination of any person to be named or the production of any writings or documents to be mentioned in such rule or order.