State Ex Rel. Jackson v. Coffey

Petitioners assert several grounds for challenging Judge Coffey’s authority to commit them to jail in order to compel them to answer questions. It will be seen that our conclusion on the first ground requires that the writ of prohibition restraining Judge Coffey from compelling petitioners’ testimony under sec. 325.34, Stats, (the immunity statute) be made absolute. The parties have, however, briefed and argued the other grounds, and it is reasonable to expect that if these questions are not now disposed of they will be raised repeatedly in the John Doe proceeding out of which these petitions…