Subpoena Response

A subpoena is a summons to appear in court, at another legal proceeding, or to produce papers. It is a court-ordered directive that essentially compels you to act, like testifying or providing information that might support the facts in question in an ongoing lawsuit. "Subpoena" literally translates as "under penalty." If someone obtains a subpoena but disregards its requirements, they could face civil or criminal sanctions like fines, jail time, or both.

Subpoenas can be of two different types. The first, a subpoena ad testificandum, compels you to give a witness statement before a judge or other official. The second, a subpoena duces tecum, demands that you provide papers, objects, or further tangible proof. Any case may call for a subpoena, but the most frequent ones involve divorce, child custody, personal injury, and sex offender charges.