The Argo/Opinion of the Court

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The Argo
Opinion of the Court by John Marshall
665736The Argo — Opinion of the CourtJohn Marshall


On considering the 30th section of the judiciary act of 1789, the court is of opinion that the provision, as to taking depositions de bene esse, does not apply to cases pending in this court. In terms, the provision refers to cases in the district and circuit courts. Testimony, by depositions, can be regularly taken for this court only under a commission issuing according to its rules. A practice has hitherto prevailed to take depositions de bene esse in causes pending here, and, as no objection has been made at the bar, it has passed sub silentio. Under such circumstances we cannot say that the United States are in default in taking depositions according to the usual practice. We shall, therefore, continue this cause to the next term, to enable the parties, if they choose, to take testimony under commissions issued under the rules prescribed by this court.

Notes[edit]

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse