1. The department may summon witnesses, administer oaths, and require the production of records, books, and documents for examination at any hearing or investigation conducted. A person shall not be excused from attending and testifying, or from producing books, papers, and records before the department or a court, or from obedience to the subpoena of the department or a court, on the ground or for the reason that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of the person may tend to incriminate the person or subject the person to a penalty or forfeiture. However this subsection does not require a person to produce any books, papers, or records, or to testify in response to any inquiry not pertinent to some question lawfully before the department or court for determination. A natural person is not subject to criminal prosecution or to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which, in spite of objections, the person may be required to testify or produce as evidence, documentary or otherwise, before the department or court, or in obedience to subpoena. However, a person testifying shall not be exempted from prosecution and punishment for perjury committed in so testifying.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 458A.12

  • and: includes the word "or" and the use of the word "or" includes the word "and". See Iowa Code 458A.2
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Department: means the department of natural resources created under section 455A. See Iowa Code 458A.2
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Person: means and includes any natural person, corporation, association, partnership, receiver, trustee, personal representative, guardian, fiduciary or other representative of any kind, and includes any department, agency, or instrumentality of the state or of any governmental subdivision thereof. See Iowa Code 458A.2
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
 2. In case of failure or refusal on the part of any person to comply with the subpoena issued by the department, or in case of the refusal of any witness to testify as to any matter regarding which the witness may be interrogated, any court in the state, upon the application of the department, may issue an attachment for the person and compel the person to comply with the subpoena, and to attend before the department and produce the records, books, and documents for examination, and to give testimony. The courts may punish for contempt as in the case of disobedience to a like subpoena issued by the court, or for refusal to testify.
 3. The department may appoint a hearing examiner or examiners to conduct hearings required by this chapter. When appointed, the hearing examiner may exercise all of the powers delegated to the department by this section.
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