Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 47 Part 1.djvu/1125

 j 72d C ONGRESS. SESS. II. CH. 127 . FEBRUARY 27, 1933 . udic ial, and executi ve, whet her of t he Canal Zone, of the Uni ted States, of a State of the United States, or of a foreign country ; 2 . Public records, kept in the Canal Zone, of private writings. SEC. 1080. ALL OTHERS PRIVATE. -All other writings are private. PUBLIC WRITINGS "Private ." Public writings. 1101 SEC. 1082 . PUBLIC OFFICERS BOUND TO GIVE copias. -Every public gi Offi Officers boun d to officer having the custody of a public writing, which a citizen has a right to inspe ct, is bound to give him, on dem and, a certified copy of it, on payment of the legal fees therefor, and such copy is admis- sible as evidence in like cases and with like effect as the original Sbriting. SEC. 1083 . FOUR KINDS OF PUBLIC WRITINGS .-Public writings are divided into four classes. 1. Laws ; 2 . Judicial records ; 3 . Other official documents ; 4 . Public records, kept in the Canal Zone, of private writings. SEC. 1084. W RIT TEN LAW S DEFINED. -A written law is that which is promulgated in writing, and of which a record is in existence. SEC. 1085 . PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STATUTES DEFINED. -Statutes are public or private. A private statute is one which concerns only certain designated individuals, and affects only their private rights. All other statutes are public, in which are included statutes creating or affecting corporations. SEC. 1086 . UNwR rrrE N LAW DEFINED. -Unwritten law is the law not promulgated and recorded, as mentioned in section 1084, but which is, nevertheless, observed and administered in the courts of the United States. It has no certain repository, but is collected from the repor ts of the decisi ons of the court s, and the treat ises of learned men. SEC. 1087. BOO KS CO NTA INI NG L AWS PR ESU MED TO BE CORRECT .- Books printed or published under the authority of a state or foreign country, and purporting to contain the statutes, code, or other written law of such state or country, or proved to be commonly admitted in th e tribunals of s uch state or cou ntry as evidence of the written law thereof, are admissible in the Canal Zone as evidence of such law. SEC. 1088 . EVI DEN CE OF FOREIGN LAW .-A copy of the written law or other public writing of any state or country, attested by the certificate of the officer having charge of the original, under the public seal of the stat e or cou ntry, is admissi ble as e vidence of such law or writing. SEC. 1089. OTIIE It EVIDENCE OF LA WS OF STATES .-The oral testi- eS 7, testimo ny by mony of witnesses skilled therein is admissible as evidence of the unwritten law of a state or foreign country, as are also printed and pub lished b ooks of reports of decis ions of the cour ts of su ch state or country, or proved to be commonly admitted in such courts. Recit als in s tatu tes. SEC. 1090. RECITALS IN STATUTES, HOW FAR EVIDENCE .-Tlie recitals in a public statute are conclusive evidence of the facts recited for the purpose of carrying it into effect, but no further. The recitals in a private statute are conclusive evidence between parties who claim under its provisions, but no further. 'Judicial record "de- SEC . 1091 . JUDICIAL RECORD DEFINI„.D .-A judicial record is the fined . record or official entry of the proceedings in a court of justice, or of the official act of a judicial officer, in an action or special proceeding . Authe ntica tion of SEC . 1092 . RECORD, HOW AUTHENTICATED AS EVIDENCE .-A judicial record of the Canal Zone, or of the United States, may be proved Divisions. Definitions. "Written laws ." "Public and private statutes ." "Unwritten tow ." Books containing lass presumed correct Foreign laws, copies.