Ex Parte Butler

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• holding that a witness could not be forced to testify about whether a paved “road was built with or without [his] consent,” no matter how “critical” the answer was to the State’s proof in a civil case
• noting that, in a civil case, witness can assert Fifth Amendment on question-by-question basis and testifying does not waive the privilege
• the fact that answer might subject witness to civil liability did not constitute ground for asserting privilege against self-incrimination
• the fact that answer might subject witness to civil liability did not constitute ground for asserting privilege against self-incrimination
• “The judge is entitled to determine whether the refusal to answer appears to be based upon the good faith of the witness and is justifiable under all of the circumstances.”

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).