---
kind: "range"
citation: "15 U.S.C. §§ 48–50"
title: "15"
from: "48"
to: "50"
count: 3
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/48..50"
---

# §48. Information and assistance from departments


The several departments and bureaus of the Government when directed by the President shall furnish the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15), upon its request, all records, papers, and information in their possession relating to any corporation subject to any of the provisions of this subchapter, and shall detail from time to time such officials and employees to the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) as he may direct.


# §49. Documentary evidence; depositions; witnesses


For the purposes of this subchapter the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15), or its duly authorized agent or agents, shall at all reasonable times have access to, for the purpose of examination, and the right to copy any documentary evidence of any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation being investigated or proceeded against; and the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) shall have power to require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of all such documentary evidence relating to any matter under investigation. Any member of the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) may sign subpoenas, and members and examiners of the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) may administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses, and receive evidence.

Such attendance of witnesses, and the production of such documentary evidence, may be required from any place in the United States, at any designated place of hearing. And in case of disobedience to a subpoena the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) may invoke the aid of any court of the United States in requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence.

Any of the district courts of the United States within the jurisdiction of which such inquiry is carried on may, in case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation issue an [order](/usc/15/8702.md?p=14) requiring such [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation to appear before the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15), or to produce documentary evidence if so ordered, or to give evidence touching the matter in question; and any failure to obey such [order](/usc/15/8702.md?p=14) of the court may be punished by such court as a contempt thereof.

Upon the [application](/usc/15/77ccc.md?p=8) of the Attorney General of the United States, at the request of the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15), the district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus commanding any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation to comply with the provisions of this subchapter or any [order](/usc/15/8702.md?p=14) of the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) made in pursuance thereof.

The [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) may [order](/usc/15/8702.md?p=14) testimony to be taken by deposition in any proceeding or investigation pending under this subchapter at any stage of such proceeding or investigation. Such depositions may be taken before any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) designated by the [commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) and having power to administer oaths. Such testimony shall be reduced to writing by the [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) taking the deposition, or under his direction, and shall then be subscribed by the deponent. Any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) may be compelled to appear and depose and to produce documentary evidence in the same manner as witnesses may be compelled to appear and testify and produce documentary evidence before the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) as hereinbefore provided.

Witnesses summoned before the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) shall be paid the same fees and mileage that are paid witnesses in the courts of the United States and witnesses whose depositions are taken and the [persons](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) taking the same shall severally be entitled to the same fees as are paid for like services in the courts of the United States.


# §50. Offenses and penalties


Any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) who shall neglect or refuse to attend and testify, or to answer any lawful inquiry or to produce any documentary evidence, if in his power to do so, in obedience to an [order](/usc/15/8702.md?p=14) of a district court of the United States directing compliance with the subpoena or lawful requirement of the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15), shall be guilty of an offense and upon conviction thereof by a court of competent jurisdiction shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) who shall willfully make, or cause to be made, any false entry or statement of fact in any report required to be made under this subchapter, or who shall willfully make, or cause to be made, any false entry in any [account](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=r-4), record, or memorandum kept by any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation subject to this subchapter, or who shall willfully neglect or fail to make, or to cause to be made, full, true, and correct entries in such [accounts](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=r-4), records, or memoranda of all facts and transactions appertaining to the business of such [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation, or who shall willfully remove out of the jurisdiction of the United States, or willfully mutilate, alter, or by any other means falsify any documentary evidence of such [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation, or who shall willfully refuse to submit to the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) or to any of its authorized agents, for the purpose of inspection and taking copies, any documentary evidence of such [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation in his possession or within his control, shall be deemed guilty of an offense against the United States, and shall be subject, upon conviction in any court of the United States of competent jurisdiction, to a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000, or to imprisonment for a term of not more than three years, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

If any [persons](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E), partnership, or corporation required by this subchapter to file any annual or special report shall fail so to do within the time fixed by the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) for filing the same, and such failure shall continue for thirty days after notice of such default, the corporation shall forfeit to the United States the sum of $100 for each and every day of the continuance of such failure, which forfeiture shall be payable into the Treasury of the United States, and shall be recoverable in a civil suit in the name of the United States brought in the case of a corporation or partnership in the district where the corporation or partnership has its principal office or in any district in which it shall do business, and in the case of any [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) in the district where such [person](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) resides or has his principal place of business. It shall be the duty of the various United States attorneys, under the direction of the Attorney General of the United States, to prosecute for the recovery of the forfeitures. The costs and expenses of such prosecution shall be paid out of the appropriation for the expenses of the courts of the United States.

Any officer or employee of the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) who shall make public any information obtained by the [Commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15) without its [authority](/usc/15/3051.md?p=1), unless directed by a court, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $5,000, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.