In re Certain Chinese Family Benevolent & District Ass'n

Before the Court are the motions of twenty-four Chinese Families, Benevolent and/or District Associations and their respective officers to quash subpoenas duces tecum issued out of this Court at the request of the current Grand Jury for this District. The subpoenas * were issued on February 29, 1956, directing production of the records sought before the Grand Jury on March first. After obtaining a continuance, and on *98 March fifth the moving parties filed their motions to quash. The motions were heard and oral and documentary evidence was received.

The motions to quash challenge each of the subpoenas upon the ground that they are unreasonable and oppressive in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Generally summarized the motions state that the subpoenas are unreasonable and oppressive because they are unrestricted as to time, or as to subject matter, in that the records sought are not related to any time, place or persons, that the records sought are not relevant to the inquiry being made by the Grand Jury; and that the blanket nature of the subpoenas issued to all of the organizations and family associations composed of persons of Chinese ancestry in San…