Case Name: Charles A. Marstin, plaintiff, vs. Bracy McRea, as administrator of John D. Bracy, deceased, defendant
Court: Arkansas Circuit Court
Jurisdiction: Arkansas
Decision Date: 1854-04
Citations: 1 Ark. Terr. Rep. 688
Docket Number: 
Parties: Charles A. Marstin, plaintiff, vs. Bracy McRea, as administrator of John D. Bracy, deceased, defendant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the United States Superior Court for the Territory of Arkansas, from 1820 to 1836
Volume: 1
Pages: 688–689

Head Matter:
Charles A. Marstin, plaintiff, vs. Bracy McRea, as administrator of John D. Bracy, deceased, defendant.
A deposition taken under the 30th section of the Judiciary Act of 1789, must be reduced to writing by the magistrate or witness, and no other person is competent to perform that duty.
April, 1854.
In the Circuit Court, before the Hon. Daniel Ringo, district judge, holding the court.
J. M. Curran, for plaintiff.
A. Fowler, for defendant.

Opinion:
The court suppressed depositions taken on the part of the plaintiff under the 30th section of the Judiciary Act of 1789, (1 Stat. 88,) because the judge taking the same certified that the testimony of the witnesses taken by him, " was reduced to writing under my direction." It was held, that the act of congress must be strictly complied with, and, as according to the express requisitions of that act, the deposition of a witness shall be reduced to writing "only by the magistrate taking the deposition or by the deponent in his presence; " no other person was legally competent to perform that duty, and that the magistrate could not depute any one to perform it; that the act itself excluded the idea that any others than those named could perform it, and so it was a fatal defect.
Deposition suppressed.