N.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 680.10

§ 680.10 Examination of witnesses on commission; in general.\n 1. Under circumstances prescribed in this article, testimony material\nto a trial or pending trial of an accusatory instrument which charges a\ncrime, may be taken by "examination on a commission" outside the state\nand received in evidence at such trial.\n 2. A "commission" is a process issued by a superior court designating\none or more persons as commissioners and authorizing them to conduct a\nrecorded examination of a witness or witnesses under oath, primarily on\nthe basis of interrogatories annexed to the commission, and to remit to\nthe issuing court the transcript of such examination.\n