Upon complaint under oath, made to a probate court, by a person claiming to be interested in the estate of a person deceased against any one suspected of retaining, concealing, or conspiring with others to retain or conceal a will or testamentary instrument of the deceased, the court may cite the suspected person to appear before it and be examined under oath about the complaint. Upon examination, all interrogatories and answers shall be in writing, signed by the party examined, and shall be filed in the court. If the person cited refuses to appear and submit to examination, or to answer the interrogatories that are lawfully propounded to him or her, or to obey any lawful order of the court, he or she may be adjudged to be in contempt and may be committed to the adult correctional institutions, there to remain until he or she submits to the order of court. On the complaint, the court may, in its discretion, award costs to be paid by either party, and may issue execution therefor.
History of Section.
C.P.A. 1905, § 786; G.L. 1909, ch. 310, § 6; G.L. 1923, ch. 361, § 6; G.L. 1938, ch. 572, § 6; impl. am. P.L. 1956, ch. 3721, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 33-7-6.