Subpoenas and Court Orders

A subpoena, Latin for “under penalty,” is a formal demand to perform. Subpoenas can be propounded by opposing parties or their counsel, attorneys acting on behalf of the court, and government officials. Subpoenas are typically used in civil litigation as a discovery tool in the form of evidentiary requests for materials (subpoena duces tecum) and include interrogatories, a request for a medical or psychological examination, a request for admission (RFA), or a request for production (RFP). Testimonial subpoenas (subpoena ad testificandum) request that individuals testify at a deposition or during trial and may be used in both civil and criminal proceedings.

Unlike subpoenas, only judges issue court orders. Court orders are instructions the court issues to parties to resolve a case and include verdicts, judgments, ...

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