UK Legislation
Parliament of the United Kingdom
5th May 1806.
“An Act to declare the Law with respect to Witnesses refusing to answer.”
46 Geo 3 c. 37
The Witness Act 1806 sets out the law with respect to witnesses refusing to answer questions.
ANNO QUADRAGESIMO SEXTO
GEORGII III REGIS.
CAP. XXXVII
An Act to declare the Law with respect to Witnesses refusing to answer.
WHEREAS Doubts have arisen whether a Witness can by Law refuse to answer a Question relevant to the Matter in Issue, the answering of which has no Tendency to accuse himself, or to expose him to any Penalty or Forfeiture, but the answering of which may establish, of lend to establish that he owes A Debt, or is otherwise subject to a Civil Suit at the Instance of His Majesty, or of some other Person or Persons;
Be it therefore declared and enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That Declaring the law respecting witnesses refusing to answer questions.
That a Witness cannot by Law refuse to answer a Question relevant to the Matter in Issue, the answering of which has no Tendency to accuse himself or to expose him to Penalty or Forfeiture, of any Nature whatsoever, by Reason only, or on the sole Ground, that the answering of such Question may establish or tend to establish that he owes a Debt, or is otherwise subject to a Civil Suit, either at the Instance of His Majesty, or of any other Person or Persons.