Subpoenas, issuance of process, department's authority

301.563. Subpoenas, issuance of process, department's authority — witnesses, costs — failure to obey process, penalty, continuing violations. — 1. The department or its designated representative may issue process, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, examine books and papers, and require the production thereof, and cause the deposition of any witness to be taken and the costs thereof paid as other costs under sections 301.550 to 301.580. Any party may process to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers, and at his own cost to take and use depositions in like manner as in civil cases in the circuit court. The subpoena shall extend to all parts of the state, and may be served as in civil actions in the circuit court, but the costs of the service shall be as in other civil actions. Each witness shall receive the fees and mileage prescribed by law in civil cases, but the same shall not be allowed as costs to the party in whose behalf the witness was summoned unless the person who conducts the hearing certifies that the testimony of the witness was necessary. All costs under this section shall be approved by the department and paid out of the Missouri motor vehicle commission fund established in section 301.560, except that if the department determines that any proceedings are brought, prosecuted or defended without reasonable ground, it may assess the whole cost of the proceedings upon the party who brought, prosecuted or defended the proceedings.

2. If any person subpoenaed to appear at any hearing or proceeding fails to obey the command of such subpoena without reasonable cause or if any person attending a hearing or proceeding shall, without reasonable cause, refuse to be sworn or to be examined or to answer a question or to produce a book or paper or to subscribe or swear to his deposition, such person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and in the case of a continuing violation, each day's continuance thereof shall be a separate and distinct offense.