Title 19 — Customs DutiesRelease 119-73
§537 Officers, informers, and defendants as witnesses
Title 19 › Chapter CHAPTER 3— - THE TARIFF AND RELATED PROVISIONS › Subtitle SUBTITLE IV— - CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION › Part part 5— - enforcement provisions › § 537
Summary
People entitled to pay under the Act June 22, 1874 (chapter 391, 18 Statutes 188) may testify in cases about recovering or reducing that pay. They and any defendants can be examined and cross‑examined like other witnesses without losing rights in related fines.
Full Legal Text
Title 19, §537
Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
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.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
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to in text, providing for compensation to officers of the customs or other persons detecting goods being smuggled, was repealed by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 643, 42 Stat. 989.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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
19 U.S.C. § 537
Title 19 — Customs Duties
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73