BOOK IV.

SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS.

TITLE FIRST.

MANNER OF PROCEEDING IN THE TRIAL OF A SENATOR OR DEPUTY TO THE CORTES.

ART. 750. A judge or court who shall find grounds to try a Senator or Deputy to the Cortes by reason of a crime shall abstain from proceeding against him, if the Cortes should be in session, until the proper authority is obtained from the colegislative body of which he is a member.

ART. 751. If the Senator or Deputy to the Cortes should be a delinquent infraganti he may be arrested and proceeded against without the authority referred to in the foregoing article, but the action taken must be communicated to the proper colegislative body within twentyfour hours following his arrest or the institution of proceedings.

The proper colegislative body shall also be informed of a cause pending against a person who, while proceedings are pending against him, shall have been elected a Senator or Deputy to the Cortes.

ART. 752. If a Senator or Deputy to the Cortes should be indicted during a parliamentary recess the judge or court taking cognizance of the cause shall immediately inform the proper colegislative body thereof.

The same shall be done when a Senator or Deputy to the Cortes elect should have been accused before their meeting.

ART. 753. In any case the proceedings shall be suspended from the day the Cortes are informed, whether in session or otherwise, proceedings remaining in the condition in which they may be at that time until the proper colegislative body shall decide what it may consider advisable.

ART. 754. If the Senate or the Congress should refuse to grant the authority requested, the proceedings shall be dismissed with regard to the Senator or Deputy to the Cortes; but the cause shall continue with regard to the other persons accused.

ART. 755. The authority shall be requested in the form of a supplication, transmitting with the latter and in a confidential character a

cargos que resulten contra el Senador ó Diputado, con inclusión de los dictámenes del fiscal y de las peticiones particulares en que se haya solicitado la autorización.1

ART. 756. El suplicatorio se remitirá por conducto del Ministro de Ultramar.

En sentencia de 2 de Julio de 1879 declaró el Tribunal Supremo que, denegada por el Parlamento la autorización para procesar á un Diputado ó Senador, está en su lugar el auto de sobreseimiento libre dictado en la causa.

certified transcript of the charges against the Senator or Deputy, including the reports of the prosecuting official and the private petitions in which the authority may have been requested.'

ART. 756. The supplication shall be transmitted through the Colonial Minister.

By a decision of July 2, 1879, the Supreme Court declared that Parliament having refused to grant authority for proceeding against a Deputy or Senator, a decree of absolute dismissal rendered in the cause is proper.

TITULO II.

DEL ANTEJUICIO NECESARIO PARA EXIGIR LA RESPONSABILIDAD CRIMINAL Á LOS JUECES Y MAGISTRADOS.1

ART. 757. Todo español que no esté incapacitado para el ejercicio de la acción penal, podrá promover el antejuicio necesario para exigir la responsabilidad criminal á los jueces y magistrados por delitos cometidos en el ejercicio de sus funciones.

ART. 758. Cuando el antejuicio tuviere por objeto alguno de los delitos de prevaricación relativos á sentencias injustas, no podrá promoverse hasta después de terminados por sentencia firme el pleito ó causa que dieren motivo al procedimiento.

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ART. 759. Si el antejuicio tuviere por objeto cualquiera de los delitos referentes, ya á retardo malicioso en la administración de justicia ya negativa á juzgar por alguno de los pretextos especificados en el código. podrá promoverse tan pronto como el juez ó tribunal hubiese diciado resolución negándose á juzgar por oscuridad, insuficiencia ó silencio de la ley, ó después que hubiesen transcurrido quince días de presentada la última solicitud pidiendo al juez ó tribunal que falle ó resuelva cual quiera causa, expediente ó pretensión judicial que estuviere pendiente, sin que aquél lo hubiese hecho ni manifestado por escrito en los autos causa legal para no hacerlo.

ART. 760. Cuando tuviere por objeto cualquier otro delito cometido por el juez ó magistrado en el ejercicio de sus funciones, podrá promoverse el antejuicio desde que el delito sea conocido.

ART. 761. El ofendido por la resolución judicial no tendrá necesidad de prestar fianza alguna para ejercitar la acción contra los jueces ó magistrados.

Se entiende por ofendido aquel á quien directamente dañe ó perjudique el delito.

ART. 762. El que no haya sido ofendido por el delito, al promover el antejuicio prestará la fianza que el tribunal que haya de conocer de la causa determine para que pueda ésta sustanciarse á su instancia.

En todo lo relativo á la fianza se estará á lo dispuesto en el tit. IX del libro segundo de esta ley.

1No es necesario que preceda el antejuicio cuando se proceda á instancia del minis terio fiscal. (Sentencia de 12 de Diciembre de 1884.)

TITLE II.

PRELIMINARY ACTION NECESSARY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENFORCING THE CRIMINAL LIABILITY OF JUDGES AND JUSTICES.1

ART. 757. Every Spaniard not incapacitated to exercise a criminal action may institute the preliminary proceedings necessary to enforce the criminal liability of judges and justices for crimes committed in the exercise of their functions.

ART. 758. When the subject of the preliminary action should be any of the crimes of prevarication relating to unjust decisions, it can not be brought until after the termination of by a final sentence the litigation or cause giving rise to the proceeding.

ART. 759. If the subject of the preliminary action should be any of the crimes relating either to malicious delay in the administration of justice or to the refusal to pass judgment under any of the pretexts specified in the code, it may be brought as soon as the judge or court shall have rendered a decision refusing to pass judgment on account of the obscurity, insufficiency, or silence of the law, or after fifteen days have elapsed since the presentation of the last petition requesting the judge or court to pass upon or decide any cause, proceeding, or judicial demand which may be pending, without his having done so, nor stated in writing in the record a legal cause for not doing so.

ART. 760. When the object thereof should be any other crime committed by the judge or court in the exercise of his functions, the preliminary action may be brought as soon as the crime is known.

ART. 761. The person injured by the judicial decision shall not be obliged to give any bond in order to bring an action against judges or justices.

By injured person is understood that person who is directly damaged or prejudiced by the crime.

ART. 762. He who shall not have been injured by the crime, on bringing the preliminary action shall give the bond which the court which is to take cognizance of the cause may fix, in order that such action may be heard and determined at his instance.

The provisions contained in Title IX of the second book of this law shall apply to all that relates to the bond.

'The preliminary proceedings are not necessary when they are at the instance of the public prosecutor. (Decision of December 12, 1884.)