Section 17-131. Order for examination before justice of supreme court

a. Any
  justice  of  the supreme court of the first or second department, or who
  is holding court or chambers therein, upon the  written  application  of
  the  commissioner,  may issue his or her order by him or her subscribed,
  for the examination without unreasonable delay by or before such justice
  of any person or persons, and the production of books or papers  or  the
  inspection and taking of copies of the whole or parts thereof, at a time
  and  place  within  the city, and in such order to be named, provided it
  shall appear to the satisfaction of  such  justice  or  court  that  any
  matter  or  point  affecting life or health is involved. It shall be the
  duty of such justice to take  or  superintend  such  examination,  which
  shall  be  under  oath,  and  shall  be  signed  by the party or parties
  examined and be certified by the justice, and with any copies  of  books
  or  papers,  to  be  delivered  to  the  department  for  the use of the
  department.
    b. Such examination, and any proceeding connected therewith, or  under
  such  order,  may wholly or in part be had, conducted or continued by or
  before any other of such justices, as well as  that  one  who  made  the
  order;  and in and about the same, every such justice shall have as full
  power and authority to punish for contempt,  and  enforce  obedience  to
  such  or  other order or direction or that of any other judge respecting
  the matter as any such justice of the supreme court  may  now  have,  or
  shall  possess,  to  enforce obedience or punish contempt in any case or
  matter whatsoever. Such application shall name or describe the person or
  persons whose examination is sought, and so far as possible the books or
  papers desired to be inspected, and the matter or points affecting  life
  or  health as to which the commissioner requests the examination to take
  place, and the justice shall on the proceedings, decide  what  questions
  are  pertinent  and  allowable in respect thereto, and shall require the
  same to be properly answered; but no answer of any  person  so  examined
  shall  be  used  in any criminal proceeding. Service of any order of any
  such justice may be made, and the same proved in the same manner as  the
  service  of either an injunction or a subpoena. And it shall be the duty
  of the justice to facilitate the early determination of the proceedings.