thereof, as if it related to real property situated within the State. A conveyance of real property, situated within another state, or a territory of the United States, which has been duly authenticated, according to the laws of that state or territory, so as to be read in evidence in the courts thereof, is evidence in like manner. 1 R. S. 761, 27 (1 Edm. 712), am'd. $947. Exemplification of record of conveyance of land without the State. — An exemplification of the record of a conveyance of real property situated without the State, and within the United States, which has been recorded in the state or territory, where the real property is situated, pursuant to the laws thereof, when certified under the hand and seal of the officer, having the custody of the record, is, if the original cannot be produced, presumptive evidence of the conveyance, and of the due execution thereof. New; analogous to L. 1864, ch. 311 (6 Edm. 254). § 948. Transcript of docket, etc., of justice of adjoining state. - A transcript from the docket-book of a justice of the peace, within an adjoining state, of a judgment rendered by him; a transcript of his minutes of the proceedings in the cause, previous to the judg ment; or of an execution issued thereon; or of the se turn of an execution; when subscribed by the justice, and authenticated as prescribed in the next section, is presumptive evidence of his jurisdiction in the cause, and of the matters shown by the transcript. From L. 1836, ch. 439, § 1 (4 Edm. 639). Cole v. Stone, Hill & D. Sup. 360. § 949. Id.; how authenticated. — Such a transcript must be authenticated by a certificate of the justice, annexed thereto, to the effect, that it is in all respects correct, and that he had jurisdiction of the cause; and also by a certificate of the clerk or prothonotary of the county, in which the justice resided at the time of rendering the judgment, under his hand and seal of the court of common pleas, or other county court of the county, to the effect that the person, subscribing the certificate attached to the transcript, was, at the date of the judgment, a justice of the peace of that county; and that the signature thereto is in his own handwriting. рго L. 1836, ch. 439, 2. $950, Other proof. The judgment and other ceedings, and the justice's authority to render the judgment, may also be proved, by the production of the docket, or of a copy of the judgment or other proceedings; and the oral testimony of the justice, to the truth and correctness thereof, and to his authority to render the judgment. Id., 3. - 951. Proof may be rebutted. The last three sections do not prevent the introduction of evidence, to controvert any of the proof, in relation to the validity of a judgment therein specified. Id., 4. § 952. Copies of records of courts of foreign countries; how authenticated. A copy of a record, or other judicial proceeding, of a court of a foreign country, is evidence, when authenticated as follows: 1. By the attestation of the clerk of the court, with the seal of the court affixed, or of the officer in whose custody the record is legally kept, under the seal of his office. 2. By a certificate of the chief-judge or presiding magistrate of the court, to the effect, that the person, so attesting the record, is the clerk of the court; or that he is the officer, in whose custody the record is required by law to be kept; and that his signature to the attes tation is genuine. 3. By the certificate, under the great or principal seal of the government, under whose authority the court is held, of the secretary of State, or other officer having the custody of that seal, to the effect, that the court is duly constituted, specifying generally the nature of its jurisdiction; and that the signature of the chief-judge or presiding magistrate, to the certificate specified in the last subdivision, is genuine. m 2 R. 8. 396, 26 (2 Edm. 413), am'd. Sheriff v. Smith, 47 How, rv. Westcott, 26 N. Y. 146; Bromley v. Miller, 2 T. & C. 5751 v. Dias, 3 Den. 238. Other proof. A copy of a record, or other ju. dicial proceeding, of a court of a foreign country, at tested by the seal of the court, in which it remains, must also be admitted in evidence, upon due proof of the following facts: 1. That the copy offered has been compared by the witness with the original, and is an exact transcript of the whole of the original. 2. That the original was, when the copy was made, in the custody of the clerk of the court, or other officer legally having charge of it. 3. That the attestation is genuine. 2 R. 8. 896, 27. See Sheriffv. Smith, 47 How. 470. § 954. [Amended, 1877.] This article does not de clare effect of record, etc.. Nothing in this article is to be construed, as declaring the effect of a record or other judicial proceeding of a foreign country, authen ticated, so as to be evidence. Id., 28, last clause. $955 [Repealed, 1877.] -- § 956. [Amended, 1877.] Documents from foreign countries; how authenticated. A copy of a patent, record or other document remaining of record in a public office of a foreign country, certified according to the form in use in that country, is evidence when authenticated, as follows: 1. By the certificate under the hand and official seal of a commissioner appointed by the governor to take the proof or acknowledgment of deeds in that country, to the effect that the patent, record or document is of record in the public office, and that the copy thereof is correct and certified in due form. 2. By a certificate under the hand and official seal of the secretary of State, annexed to that of the commissioner, to the same effect as prescribed by law for the authentication of the certificate of such a commissioner, upon a conveyance to be recorded within the State. The certificate of the commissioner, thus authenticated, is presumptive evidence that the copy of the patent, record or document is certified according to the form in use in the foreign country. L. 1875, ch. 136, portions of 2 1, 2, 8, and 9. Mackinnon v. Barnes, 66 Barb. 91. TITLE V. Miscellaneous provisions. 8o. 957. Form of certificate to copies, etc. 958. Certificate must be sealed. 959. Qualification of last section. 960. Public or corporate seal may be stamped. 961. Surrogates, clerks, etc., to search filles, and to certify, etc. § 957. Form of certificate to copies, eto.- Where a transcript, exemplification, or certified copy of a record or other paper, is declared by law to be evidence, and special provision is not made for the form of the certifi. cate, in the particular case, the person, authorized to certify, must state, in his certificate, that it has been compared by him with the original, and that it is a correct transcript therefrom, and of the whole of the origi nal. 2 R. S. 403, 259 (2 Edm. 420), am'd. Merritt v. Lyon, 3 Barb. 110. § 958. Certificate must be sealed. If the officer, or the court, body, or board, in whose custody an original paper, specified in the last section, is required to be, by the laws of the State, or of another state, or of the United States, or of a territory thereof, or of a foreign country, has, pursuant to those laws, an official seal, the certificate must be attested by that seal. If the certificate is made by the clerk of a county, within the State, it must be attested by the seal of the county. Id., remainder of 59, am'd. People v. Ransom, 4 Denlo, 147. $959. [Amended, 1877.] Qualification of last section. The last section does not require the seal of a court to be affixed to a certified copy of an order, or of a paper filed therein, or entry made, where the copy is used in the same court, or before an officer thereof; or, in the supreme court, where it is used in a circuit court, or a court of oyer and terminer. Id., 60, with the addition of the words " or a court of oyer and terminer."Tesic $960. [Amended, 1877.] Public or corporate seal be stamped. Where a seal of a public officer, or orporation is authorized or required by law, it may pressed directly on the paper. as am'd by L. 1848, ch. 197, 8 (4Edm. 643). Bellinger v. Gray, 10; Christie v. Gage, 2 T. & C. 344. See Van Bokkelen v. TayY. 105. 961. Surrogates, clerks, etc., to search files, and to certify, etc. - A surrogate, county clerk, register, clerk of a court, or other person, having the custody of the records or other papers in a public office, within the State, must, upon request, and upon payment of, or offer to pay, the fees allowed by law, or, if no fees are expressly allowed by law, fees at the rate allowed to a county clerk for a similar service, diligently search the files, papers, records, and dockets in his office; and either make one or more transcripts therefrom, and certify to the correctness thereof, and to the search, or certify that a document or paper, of which the custody legally belongs to him, cannot be found. If he refuses, or unreasonably neglects or delays, to make such a search, or to furnish such a transcript or certificate, or makes a false certificate, he is guilty of a mis demeanor. Ante, § 921. L. 1847, ch. 470, 340 (4 Edm. 588), am'd. Liability for negligence: See Kimball v. Connolly, 3 Keyes, 57; s. c., 2 Abb. Ct. App. Dec. 504. See, also, McCaraher v. Com., 5 W. & S. 21; Zeigler v. Com., 12 Penn. St. 227. Liable for default of deputy: Weldder u. Edsell, 2 McLean, 366. $962. Saving clause. Nothing in title fourth of this chapter prevents the proof of a fact, act, record, proceeding, document, or other paper or writing, according to the rules of the common law, or by any other competent proof. 2 B. 8. 397, part of 28 (2 Edm. 413), and L. 1846, ch. 240, 2 (4 Edm. 642). 99 |