Article — 1917 Code of Canon Law
Article VII: Of the Credibility of Testimonies
Superseded as law in 1983 — read why this Code still matters. Each canon links to its 1983 counterpart.
In estimating testimonies the judge is to have before his eyes:
1° What is the condition of the person, what his honesty is, and whether the witness shines with some dignity.
2° Whether he testifies from his own knowledge, especially from his own sight and hearing, or from belief, from report, or from hearing from others.
3° Whether the witness is constant and firmly coherent with himself; or whether he is variable, uncertain, or wavering.
4° Finally, whether he has co-witnesses of the testimony, or is singular.
In aestimandis testimoniis iudex prae oculis habeat:
1° Quae conditio sit personae, quaeve honestas et an aliqua dignitate testis praefulgeat;
2° Utrum de scientia propria, praesertim de visu et auditu proprio testificetur, an de credulitate, de fama, aut de auditu ab aliis;
3° Utrum testis constans sit et firmiter sibi cohaereat; an varius, incertus, vel vacillans;
4° Denique utrum testimonii contestes habeat, an sit singularis.
1983 Code correlation: can. 1572
If witnesses disagree among themselves, the judge is to weigh whether the testimonies given by them are mutually opposed, or are merely diverse or supporting.
Si testes inter se discrepent, iudex perpendat utrum edita ab eis testimonia sibi invicem adversentur, an sint dumtaxat diversa vel adminiculativa.
§ 1. The deposition of one witness does not make full proof, unless he is a qualified witness who deposes concerning things done from office.
§ 2. If under the faith of an oath two or three persons, above every exception and firmly coherent with one another, testify in judgment from their own knowledge concerning some thing or fact, sufficient proof is had; unless in some cause the judge, because of the very great gravity of the business or because of indications which introduce some doubt concerning the truth of the matter asserted, considers fuller proof necessary.
§ 1. Unius testis depositio plenam fidem non facit, nisi sit testis qualificatus qui deponat de rebus ex officio gestis.
§ 2. Si sub iuramenti fide duae vel tres personae, omni exceptione maiores, sibi firmiter cohaerentes, de aliqua re vel facto in iudicio testificentur de scientia propria, sufficiens probatio habetur; nisi in aliqua causa iudex ob maximam negotii gravitatem, vel ob indicia quae aliquod dubium de veritate rei assertae ingerunt, necessariam censeat pleniorem probationem.
1983 Code correlation: can. 1573