, 1955-07-05
BILL No. &c
FIRST LEGISLATURE Of THE VIRGIL ISLANDS
# TIL UNITED STATE
Regular Session 1855
An Act to Provide for the Attendance Of Witnesses and for
the Punishment for Disobedience to Supoenas Issued by
the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, or any Of its
Committees. and for other Purposes.
Regular Session 1855


BE 1T ENACTED by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands in
session assembled:
SECTION 1. All officers and employees Of the Govern
ment Of the Virgin Islands, including the heads Of depart
ments, agencies, and subdivisions, and all other persons whe-
Their connected with the Government of the Virgin Islands or
not, shall appear and give and furnish to the Legislature Of
the Virgin Islands, or any Of its committees, upon request,
such information, records, and documents as the legislature
or the committee may deem necessary or proper for the
achievement Of its legal and authorized purposes.
SECTION 2. Any witness neglecting or refusing to at
tend in obedence to subpoena may be arrested by a mem
Der of the Insular Police Force on the order of the legisla-
tue or committee, and brought before the said legislature or
committee. The only warrant or authority necessary autho-
rizng the arrest shall be a copy of a resolution Of the Legis-
latu1e or committee signed by the President or the Chairman
of the committee, as the case may be, and countersigned by
the Legislative Secretary Of the legislature or a majority Of
the members Of the committee, as the case may be.
SECTION 5. Any officer or employee of the Govern
ment of the Virgin Islands, or any other person, firm, or cor
poration who shall wilfully disobey any subpoena issued by
the legislature, or any of its committees authorized to issue
%subpoenas for witnesses, or who shall wifully refuse to be
sworn or to answer before the said body, or to produce any
documents, records, or papers requested to be produced, shall
be deemed guilty of contempt, and, upon conviction thereof,
shall be subject to a fine of not more than one hundred ($100)
dollars or Imprisonment not to exceed thirty 800 days, or
both; Provided, however, that in the case Of an Officer
employee Of the Government of the Virgin Islands, said off
Ger or employee shall be dismissed from the Government
Service.
SECTION A. Ia. If the contempt is committed before
a committee during. a session of the Legislature, the COM
mittee shall report the contempt to the Legislature for such
action as may be deemed necessary by the legislature:
b) If the. contempt is committed before a committee
when the legislature is not in session, the District Court Of
the Virgin Islands may compel the attendance Of the wit
Enesses, the giving of testimony, and the production Of books,
papers, documents, and accounts, as required by the sub
poena issued by the Committee, on the filing by the Com
mittee of a petition to the court asking that the witness be
so compelled.
SECTION 5. Proceedings for the punishment Of CON
tempt as provided for herein shall be brought in the name
of The People and shall be prosecuted by the District Attor.
iney. The mode of proceedings as prescribed in the case Of
contempt not committed in the immediate view and pre-
sence of a Court, in Chapter SIS. Title III of the Code of Laws
of the Municipality Of Saint Thomas and Saint John. includ-
ing provisions relating to the imprisonment Of a party
charged with contempt, bail, and the execution and return
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