Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

19 U.S.C. § 537

Officers, informers, and defendants as witnesses

No officer, or other person entitled to or claiming compensation under any provision of Act (chapter 391, 18 Statutes 188) shall be thereby disqualified from becoming a witness in any action, suit, or proceeding for the recovery, mitigation, or remission thereof, but shall be subject to examination and cross-examination in like manner with other witnesses, without being thereby deprived of any right, title, share, or interest in any fine, penalty, or forfeiture to which such examination may relate; and in every such case the defendant or defendants may appear and testify and be examined and cross-examined in like manner.

June 22, 1874, ch. 391, § 818 Stat. 188(, .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 64342 Stat. 989section 1619 of this titleSection 4 of Act , referred to in text, providing for compensation to officers of the customs or other persons detecting goods being smuggled, was repealed by , . For corresponding provisions in the Tariff Act of 1930, see .