What Is a Subpoena?

Full Video Transcript

If you receive a subpoena to appear in court or to give a deposition, the law requires your attendance. If you fail to comply, you could be subjected to severe legal consequences. A subpoena is a legal order which demands the person or organization named in the subpoena give sworn testimony at a specified time and place about a matter concerned in an investigation or a legal proceeding, such as a trial. There are many kinds of subpoenas, for example, a subpoena duces tecum substitutes the requirement of your appearance to testify with a requirement that you supply specific physical material in your possession. A deposition subpoena means that your sworn testimony will be taken during a phase of the trial process known as discovery and will likely occur at a lawyer’s office.