Article 60 of Law of Evidence

The court shall put to the litigant such questions as it considers appropriate, and shall also put to him such questions as the other litigant requests be put. The answer shall be given at the same hearing unless the court considers it appropriate to allow time for answering. The answer shall be given in the presence of the person requesting the examination, but the examination shall not depend on his attendance. The questions and answers shall be entered in the hearing record Home Page 685 Law Index Law of Evidence Decree-Law No. 39 of 1980 Concerning Evidence in Civil and Commercial Matters and signed by the presiding judge, the clerk and the person examined. If the person examined refuses to answer or sign, his refusal and the reason for it shall be recorded. If the litigant fails to appear for examination without an acceptable excuse or refuses to answer without legal justification, the court shall draw such inferences as it sees fit, and may admit proof by witness testimony and presumptions in cases where this would not have been permissible. If the litigant has an acceptable excuse preventing his appearance for examination, the court may delegate one of its judges to examine him. Part Six The Oath