Us Code § 537 - Officers, informers, and defendants as witnesses
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 537 — Officers, informers, and defendants as witnesses, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 537. Officers, informers, and defendants as witnesses
No officer, or other person entitled to or claiming compensation under any provision of Act June 22, 1874 (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, §8, 18 Stat. 188.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 4 of Act June 22, 1874, referred to in text, providing for compensation to officers of the customs or other persons detecting goods being smuggled, was repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, §643, 42 Stat. 989. For corresponding provisions in the Tariff Act of 1930, see section 1619 of this title.
About This Section
19 U.S.C. § 537 is part of Title 19 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 19 U.S.C. § 537. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.